Case C-162/21, Pesticide Action Network Europe and Others: Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 19 January 2023 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Conseil d’État — Belgium) — Pesticide Action Network Europe, Nature and Progrès Belgique ASBL, TN v État belge (Reference for a preliminary ruling — Environment — Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 — Placing of plant protection products on the market — Article 53(1) — Emergency situations in plant protection — Derogation — Scope — Seeds treated with plant protection products — Neonicotinoids — Active substances posing high risks to bees — Prohibition of the placing on the market and outside use of seeds treated with plant protection products containing those active substances — Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/784 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/785 — Non-applicability of the derogation — Protection of human and animal health and the environment — Precautionary principle)
Date: 2023-01-19
Institutions: Court of Justice
Subjects: environmental protection, insect, market approval, plant health control, plant health product, seed








C_2023083EN.01000501.xml










6.3.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 83/5






Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 19 January 2023 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Conseil d’État — Belgium) — Pesticide Action Network Europe, Nature and Progrès Belgique ASBL, TN v État belge
(Case C-162/21, (1) Pesticide Action Network Europe and Others)
(Reference for a preliminary ruling - Environment - Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 - Placing of plant protection products on the market - Article 53(1) - Emergency situations in plant protection - Derogation - Scope - Seeds treated with plant protection products - Neonicotinoids - Active substances posing high risks to bees - Prohibition of the placing on the market and outside use of seeds treated with plant protection products containing those active substances - Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/784 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/785 - Non-applicability of the derogation - Protection of human and animal health and the environment - Precautionary principle)
(2023/C 83/05)
Language of the case: French

Referring court

Conseil d’État

Parties to the main proceedings


Applicants: Pesticide Action Network Europe, Nature et Progrès Belgique ASBL, TN

Defendant: État belge

Intervening parties: Sesvanderhave SA, Confédération des Betteraviers Belges ASBL, Société Générale des Fabricants de Sucre de Belgique ASBL (Subel), Isera & Scaldis Sugar SA (Iscal Sugar), Raffinerie Tirlemontoise SA

Operative part of the judgment

Article 53(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing Council Directives 79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC
must be interpreted as not permitting a Member State to authorise the placing on the market of plant protection products for seed treatment, or the placing on the market and use of seeds treated with those products, where the placing on the market and use of seeds treated with those products have been expressly prohibited by an implementing regulation.


(1)  OJ C 242, 21.6.2021.