COMMISSION DECISION
of 21 June 2007
concerning the non-inclusion of certain active substances in Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC and the withdrawal of authorisations for plant protection products containing these substances
(notified under document number C(2007) 2576)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2007/442/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to the Council Directive 91/414/EEC of 15 July 1991 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market (1), and in particular the fourth subparagraph of Article 8(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Article 8(2) of Directive 91/414/EEC provides that a Member State may, during a period of 12 years following the notification of that Directive, authorise the placing on the market of plant protection products containing active substances not listed in Annex I to that Directive that are already on the market two years after the date of notification, while those substances are gradually being examined within the framework of a programme of work.
(2)
Commission Regulations (EC) No 1112/2002 (2) and (EC) No 2229/2004 (3) lay down the detailed rules for the implementation of the fourth stage of the programme of work referred to in Article 8(2) of Directive 91/414/EEC.
(3)
Regulation (EC) No 2229/2004 provides producers in the Czech Republic, in Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia, with the opportunity to participate in the fourth stage of the programme of work and organises the review of substances which were on the market in those Member States on 30 April 2004 and had not been included in the work programme.
(4)
With respect to certain active substances no producer submitted a notification pursuant to Article 4(1) of Regulation (EC) No 2229/2004. When the Commission informed the Member States of this fact on 18 November 2005, no new Member State notified a declaration of interest within the deadline.
(5)
With respect to certain other active substances all notifiers withdrew their participation in the programme of work. The Commission provided the Member States with this information on 4 April 2006. Only in three cases Member States have chosen to act as notifiers for the purposes of further participation in the programme of work, pursuant to Article 14(3) of Regulation (EC) No 2229/2004.
(6)
For certain active substances no complete dossier has been submitted and no Member State has expressed the will to act as notifier.
(7)
Consequently, the active substances referred to in recitals 4, 5 and 6, should not be included in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC and Member States should withdraw all authorisations for plant protection products containing those active substances.
(8)
For some of those active substances information has been presented and evaluated by the Commission together with Member States’ experts which has shown a need for further use of the substances concerned. It is therefore justified in the present circumstances to extend for certain essential uses for which there are no efficient alternatives the period for the withdrawal of authorisations while providing for strict conditions aimed at minimising any possible risk.
(9)
For the active substances for which there is only a short period of advance notice for the withdrawal of plant protection products containing such substances, it is reasonable to provide for a period of grace for disposal, storage, placing on the market and use of existing stocks no longer than twelve months to allow existing stocks to be used in no more than one further growing. In cases where a longer advance notice period is provided, such period can be shortened to expire at the end of the growing season.
(10)
This decision does not prejudice the submission of an application for these active substances according to the provisions of Article 6(2) of Directive 91/414/EEC in view of a possible inclusion in its Annex I.
(11)
The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The active substances listed in Annex I to this Decision shall not be included as active substances in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC.
Article 2
Member States shall ensure that:
(a)
authorisations for plant protection products containing the active substances listed in Annex I are withdrawn by 22 December 2007;
(b)
no authorisations for plant protection products containing these active substances are granted or renewed from the date of publication of this Decision.
Article 3
1. By way of derogation from Article 2, a Member State listed in column B of Annex II may maintain authorisations for plant protection products containing substances listed in column A of that Annex for the uses listed in column C of that Annex until 30 June 2010, provided that it complies with the following conditions:
(a)
it ensures that no harmful effects to human or animal health and no unacceptable influence to the environment are caused;
(b)
it ensures that such plant protection products remaining on the market are relabelled in order to match the restricted use conditions;
(c)
it imposes all appropriate risk mitigation measures to reduce any possible risks;
(d)
it ensures that alternatives for those uses are seriously sought.
2. Member States making use of the derogation provided for in paragraph 1, shall inform the Commission about the measures taken under paragraph 1, and, in particular, under points (a) to (d), by 31 December of each year.
Article 4
Any period of grace granted by Member States in accordance with Article 4(6) of Directive 91/414/EEC shall be as short as possible.
For authorisations which are withdrawn in accordance with Article 2, that period shall expire on 22 December 2008 at the latest.
For authorisations which are withdrawn in accordance with Article 3, it shall expire on 31 December 2010 at the latest.
Article 5
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 21 June 2007.