WRITTEN QUESTION E-3116/00

by Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(6 October 2000)

Subject: Risks presented by the use of chlorpyrifos

The use of the insecticide chlorpyrifos, which is permitted in the EU, is severely restricted in the US. Products containing chlorpyrifos should not be used in homes, gardens, schools, children's nurseries or hospitals after the end of 2001.

1. Is the Commission aware that, according to a study carried out by the US Environmental Protection Agency, chlorpyrifos should be classed among those chemicals that present an excessive risk to human health?

2. Over 800 individual products are affected by the ban on this insecticide in the US. Is the Commission aware which products that are permitted in the EU contain chlorpyrifos? If so, could the Commission list the products concerned?

3. Is the Commission aware that there are alternatives to this long-established pesticide? How is the Commission encouraging its replacement?

4. When does the Commission intend to follow the US example and restrict the use of chlorpyrifos in the EU, in accordance with the precautionary principle?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(15 November 2000)

1. The Commission is aware that chlorpyrifos has been reviewed in the United States, has received copies of the American risk assessments, and has discussed these with the American authorities.

2. The Commission is developing a database to collect all information on authorized plant protection products in the Member States. Member States still have to build the electronic interfaces to make the system work. However, this information is available in the individual Member States.

3. The Commission has no specific programme to favour the use of alternatives to chlorpyrifos. However, in the framework of the research programmes funded by the Commission, proposals for integrated pest management are eligible for funding.

4. Chlorpyrifos is a plant protection product currently being evaluated also in the framework of the first review programme of existing active substances undertaken under Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3600/92 of 11 December 1992 laying down the detailed rules for the implementation of the first stage of the programme of work under Article 8(2) of Council Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market(1). The objective of the evaluation is to determine whether it can be included in a positive list of substances (Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC of 15 July 1991, on the placing of plant protection products on the market(2)) that can be used in plant protection products in theCommunity. The Regulation provided that notifiers should submit all the information required by the Directive. This includes information on effects on human and animal health and the environment. The information had to be submitted before 30 April 1995, to the rapporteur Member State (for chlorpyrifos, Spain). Any interested party could also submit by that date technical or scientific information with regard to the potentially dangerous effects of the substance or its residues on human or animal health or on the environment. The rapporteur Member State reviewed all information submitted for chlorpyrifos and prepared a draft assessment report on it. This was submitted on 7 May 1999 to the Commission and the other Member States.

According to the usual procedures provided in the Regulation, the monograph was immediately forwarded for expert consultation (peer-review) with specialised experts from five Member States to examine in detail all areas of human health and environmental safety. The monograph and the results of the peer review for chlorpyrifos were discussed by all Member States in the meeting of the evaluation working group of the standing committee on plant health in July 2000. As a result several data requirements were identified which were discussed end of October 2000 at a meeting with the notifier, the rapporteur Member State and the Commission. The conclusions of this meeting will be referred to the standing committee on plant health. Depending on the outcome of these discussions the scientific committee for plants will be consulted in due course.

(1) OJ L 366, 15.12.1992.

(2) OJ L 230, 19.8.1991.