WRITTEN QUESTION E-2835/00 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Council. Delays in the European programme of work on plant protection products.
Date: 2000-09-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: application of EU law, dangerous substance, form, marketing standard, pharmaceutical product, plant health product, report, testing

C 113 E/188

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

(2001/C 113 E/199)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2835/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(8 September 2000)

Subject: Delays in the European programme of work on plant protection products

One important element in the discussion of (cid:145)essential(cid:146) plant protection products is harmonisation
1.
policy in this area, under the responsibility of the Commission, pursuant to Directive 91/414/EEC (1). There
has been widespread public criticism of the stagnation and delays in the programme of work to be used
for assessing authorised and new products. Earlier this year the Council provided for more rapid
implementation of the programme through Regulation (EC) No 415/2000 (2) of 28 February 2000. What
progress has been achieved hitherto?

2.
Despite these measures the expectation is that the target date of 2003 cannot be achieved and that
there may even be proposals resulting in a target date of 2007 or indeed later. Can the Council confirm
this?

3.
Does the Council agree that because of the delays in the programme Member States which have
indicated that they are ahead of European legislation may be tempted to modify their policy, for Internal
Market reasons, and wait for the others to catch up, not least in the interests of their own agricultural
producers? Does the Council agree that this is damaging to the environment?

4.
Does the Council share the view that everything must be done to complete the harmonisation
programme by the agreed time, 2003, as otherwise the assessment and removal of old, possibly harmful
substances or the assessment and introduction of new, more environmentally compatible substances or
products which are already available can be delayed for many years, with people simply continuing to
spray poisons?

If so, what action does the Council intend taking, over and above Regulation (EC) No 415/2000 of

5.
28 February 2000, to ensure that the deadline of 2003 is not exceeded?

(1) OJ L 230, 19.8.1991, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 52, 25.2.2000, p. 14.

Reply

(30 November 2000)

1.
Council Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market
sets up a harmonised framework for the authorisation, placing on the market, use and control of plant
protection products within the Community. One of the Directive(cid:146)s basic principles is the establishment of a
Community list, contained in Annex I to the Directive, of active substances authorised for incorporation in
plant protection products.

2.
Article 8(2) of Directive 91/414/EEC provides for a derogation during a period of 12 years
(until 25 July 2003) allowing Member States to authorise plant protection products containing active
substances not listed in Annex I to the Directive on the basis of the general safety requirements defined in
Article 4 of the Directive and national data requirements. During that period, the Commission will
implement a programme of work for the gradual examination of those active substances. By July 2001 it
must present to the European Parliament and the Council a progress report on the programme. Depending
upon the conclusions of the report, it may be decided whether, for certain substances, the 12-year period
is to be extended for a period to be determined.

If the aforementioned period is extended, the effects of the decisions in question on human and

3.
animal health, the environment and agriculture will be duly examined.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Commission Regulation (EC) No 451/2000 covers those active substances not included in Annex I to
4.
Directive 91/414/EEC and which were not covered by Regulation (EEC) No 3600/92. Strict time-limits are
laid down for the notification of such active substances by industry. Results are expected to be available by
the end of December 2000, and should be included in the Commission(cid:146)s progress report.

(2001/C 113 E/200)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2836/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(8 September 2000)

Subject: Renewed authorisation for harmful plant protection products

1.
There is a discussion under way in the Netherlands on renewed authorisation for the use of
environmentally harmful plant protection products. Existing legislation in this area is being scaled back
on the grounds that if certain crops are to continue to be grown in the Netherlands, (cid:145)essential(cid:146) products
need to be retained until the year 2002, with the option of an extension beyond that date. By contrast, the
environmental movement says that sound alternatives to many of these poisons are available and that only
a small rearguard of farmers still use the poisons classified as harmful. Is the Commission aware of this
discussion which resulted, on 22 August 2000, in a debate in the standing committee on agriculture of the
Lower House of the Dutch parliament?

2.
The list of (cid:145)essential(cid:146) products consists of carbaryl, chlorpyriphos, fenbutatin oxide, penconazole,
pirimiphos-methyl, simazine, carbofuran, chloridazon, dichlorvos, parathion-ethyl and propachlor. These
are substances suspected of being carcinogenic, harmful to heritable genetic material or of being a serious
health risk in some other way. Have these substances or products already been tested under the European
programme of work and, if so, with what conclusions?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(13 October 2000)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to the answer given by the Commission to written
question P-2829/00 by Mrs Corbey (1).

In addition the Commission can confirm that all the active substances mentioned by the Honourable
Member are included in the review programme of existing active substances. The detailed evaluation of
chlorpyrifos, simazin and parathion-ethyl continues in the framework of 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 referred to in Article 8(2) of Council Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the
placing of plant protection products on the market (2). No final conclusions have been taken yet. The other
active substances mentioned are subject to Commission Regulation (EC) No 451/2000 (3) of 28 February
2000 laying down the detailed rules for the implementation of the second and third stages of the work
programme referred to in Article 8(2) of Council Directive 91/414/EEC.

The Commission will inform by July 2001 the Parliament and Council, as provided in Council Directive
91/414/EEC of 15 July 1991 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market (4), on the
progress with the re-evaluation programme.

(1) OJ C 103 E, 3.4.2001, p. 226.
(2) OJ L 366, 15.12.1992.
(3) OJ L 55, 29.2.2000.
(4) OJ L 230, 19.8.1991.