Sustainable Use of Pesticides
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Objectives of the Thematic
Strategy
The Communication contains a detailed description
of the current situation regarding pesticides and related
areas, both at Community and Member State level, and identifies
and analyses a number of objectives and possible
solutions:
- Minimising the hazards and risks to health and environment from the use of pesticides through national plans for reduction of hazards, risks and dependence on chemical control; best practices in river basin management, specific protection of sensitive areas, general ban of aerial spraying (with derogations under specific conditions, support to research programmes for epidemiological research on users, consumers, technical improvements of application and protection equipment, risks/benefits analysis for PPPs and alternatives,….)
- Improved controls on the use and distribution of pesticides : statistics of production, import/export and use (logbooks), control of spraying equipment, packaging waste, compulsory training of users, …
- Application of the substitution principle : quicker implementation (review of old active ingredient) + amendments of 91/414 = pre-requisites ; pest resistance concern
- Encouraging low-input or pesticide-free crop farming : Integrated Pest Management (IPM), potential of genetically modified organisms (GMO), Good Farming Practices/financial support (CAP)/penalties (compliance), special levies on PPPs, harmonised VAT rate for PPPs
- Feed-back, indicators to evaluate progress : report by MS on risk reduction programmes, quantitative targets, OECD work on harmonisation of indicators
- Candidate countries : support of programmes for obsolete PPPs, support through SAPARD-measures
- International aspect : Prior Informed Consent (PIC) and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) conventions to be ratified, support to ACP countries
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