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Brussels, |
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Pesticides
The EU’s pesticides policy treats pesticides as substances used to prevent, destroy or control harmful organisms, but it focuses in particular on plant protection products (PPPs), which are pesticides used to protect crops and other useful plants. These products are used not only in agriculture, but also in forestry, horticulture, amenity areas and home gardens. Their functions include protecting plants against pests and diseases, influencing plant life processes, preserving plant products, and destroying unwanted plants.
A central distinction in the policy is between pesticides in the broad sense and plant protection products in the narrower regulatory sense. The Commission explains that “pesticide” is the wider category, while plant protection products are the main pesticide type used for crops and plants. This means the EU framework described here is primarily about agricultural and plant-use pesticides, not about all pesticide categories such as biocides.
The policy is built around the regulation of the key components that make plant protection products work. These include active substances, as well as safeners and synergists. An active substance may be a chemical, plant extract, pheromone or micro-organism that acts against pests or on plants and plant products. A safener is used to reduce phytotoxic effects on certain plants, while a synergist increases the activity of an active substance even if it has little direct pesticidal effect on its own. Before any of these substances can be used in a plant protection product in the EU, they must be approved by the European Commission after evaluation and peer review by Member States and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Another important feature of the policy is the shared responsibility between the EU and Member States. The EU level approves active substances, safeners and synergists, while EU countries authorise plant protection products on their own territory and ensure compliance with EU rules. This creates a two-level system in which the core substance is assessed at EU level, while the final product authorisation is managed nationally.
Overall, the page presents the EU pesticides framework as a system built on scientific assessment, prior approval of core substances, and national authorisation of final products, with plant protection products as the main regulatory focus.
A central distinction in the policy is between pesticides in the broad sense and plant protection products in the narrower regulatory sense. The Commission explains that “pesticide” is the wider category, while plant protection products are the main pesticide type used for crops and plants. This means the EU framework described here is primarily about agricultural and plant-use pesticides, not about all pesticide categories such as biocides.
The policy is built around the regulation of the key components that make plant protection products work. These include active substances, as well as safeners and synergists. An active substance may be a chemical, plant extract, pheromone or micro-organism that acts against pests or on plants and plant products. A safener is used to reduce phytotoxic effects on certain plants, while a synergist increases the activity of an active substance even if it has little direct pesticidal effect on its own. Before any of these substances can be used in a plant protection product in the EU, they must be approved by the European Commission after evaluation and peer review by Member States and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Another important feature of the policy is the shared responsibility between the EU and Member States. The EU level approves active substances, safeners and synergists, while EU countries authorise plant protection products on their own territory and ensure compliance with EU rules. This creates a two-level system in which the core substance is assessed at EU level, while the final product authorisation is managed nationally.
Overall, the page presents the EU pesticides framework as a system built on scientific assessment, prior approval of core substances, and national authorisation of final products, with plant protection products as the main regulatory focus.
