Pesticides: EFSA to examine emergency use of neonicotinoids

EFSA is to assess a number of emergency authorisations granted by Member States for the use of neonicotinoids in sugar beet in 2020.

The request from the European Commission covers 21 emergency authorisations of clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and thiacloprid granted by Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

Outdoor use of imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and clothianidin was banned in May 2018 and an application to renew the approval of thiacloprid was rejected by the European Commission in January 2020. The decisions were taken following scientific assessments carried out by EFSA.

EFSA will examine the justification for the authorisations given the specific situation of each Member State and the availability of alternative means to protect sugar beet crops. The assessments should be finalised in the second half of 2021.

EFSA will also take the opportunity to review the methodology used for the evaluations in light of the European Commission’s Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies – particularly the targets to reduce pesticide use and the promotion of alternatives to pesticides.

The new methodology, which will support harmonisation of pesticide use in EU Member States, should be available by the end of 2022.