Agri-environmental indicator - consumption of pesticides

Data from May 2023

Planned update: 17 May 2024

Highlights

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The group 'fungicides and bactericides' was the most sold group of pesticides in the EU in 2021.

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Germany, Spain, France and Italy together accounted for over two thirds of the volume of total EU pesticide sales each year over the period between 2011 and 2021.

This article is a fact sheet of the European Union (EU) agri-environmental indicator on the consumption of pesticides. It consists of an overview of recent data, complemented by information on definitions, measurement methods and context needed to interpret them correctly. The consumption of pesticides article is part of a set of similar fact sheets providing a complete picture of the state of the agri-environmental indicators in the EU. Data on sales of pesticides cover agricultural and non-agricultural uses.

Full article

Key messages

• Sales of pesticides in the EU fluctuated ± 6 % around the 350 000 tonnes per year mark during the period between 2011 and 2021. Note that the data on sales of pesticide active substances contain confidential values even when published at the highest aggregation level, i.e. by major group or total sales. However, the confidential values represent < 1 % of the total volume of sales over the entire time series.

• Between 2011 and 2021, the total volume of pesticide active substances sold in the 16 EU countries that provided complete data for both 2011 and 2021 decreased by 4.9 %. Note that for the other EU countries, at least one aggregate is confidential and hinders a comparison. It is important to note that many of the more hazardous substances have had their authorisation withdrawn, and been removed from the market, following their evaluation under Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market.

• In 11 of the EU countries which provided complete data for both 2011 and 2021, total sales of pesticides declined over the period between 2011 and 2021; the sharpest rate of decline was in Czechia (- 36 %), followed by Denmark, Portugal, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Cyprus and Lithuania. There was also a sharp decline in Belgium between 2011 and 2020 (- 22 %).

Analysis at EU and country level

Between 2011 and 2021, sales of pesticides in the EU remained relatively stable (Figure 1); the total volume sold annually fluctuated ± 6 % around the 350 000 tonnes level and was estimated to be about 355 000 tonnes in 2021. It should be noted that during this reference period, < 1 % of the total sales volume were confidential values and could therefore not be included.

Figure 1: Sales of pesticides (tonnes, EU, 2011-2021)
Source: Eurostat (aei_fm_salpest09)

Pesticide sales are reported for six major groups of substances (see below under ‘Indicator definition’). 'Fungicides and bactericides' and 'herbicides, haulm destructors and moss killers' were the pesticide groups that recorded the highest sales volumes each year over the reference period (Table 1). Four EU countries (Germany, Spain, France and Italy) recorded the highest volumes sold in most major groups. These countries are also the main agricultural producers in the EU, with collectively 51 % of the total EU utilised agricultural area (UAA) and 49 % of the total EU arable land.

Table 1: Sales of pesticides (tonnes, 2011 and 2021)
Source: Eurostat (aei_fm_salpest09)

Sixteen EU countries (Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Sweden) provided complete data for both 2011 and 2021. In addition, Belgium provided complete data for 2011 and 2020. Together these 17 EU countries recorded sales of about 319 000 tonnes of pesticide active substances in 2011 and an estimated 302 000 tonnes in 2021 (BE: 2020), corresponding to an overall fall of about 5 %. A little over four-fifths (85 %) of the total EU sales of pesticides in 2021 were accounted for by these 17 countries.

Between 2011 and 2021, there were contrasting developments in the volume of pesticide sales between EU countries (see Figure 2). There were lower sales in 12 EU countries, with the sharpest rate of decline recorded in Czechia (down - 36 %). Denmark, Portugal, Italy, Romania and Belgium (between 2011 and 2020) also reported sales that were at least 20 % lower. By contrast, Austria and Latvia reported significantly higher sales of pesticides in 2021 than in 2011. It should be noted that the volumes of pesticides sold in Latvia in absolute terms are very low (Table 1). It should also be noted that in Germany and Austria, large volumes of inert gases used in the storage of agricultural products inflate the total volume of pesticides sold.

Figure 2: Developments in the sales of pesticides (%, selected EU countries, 2011-2021)
Source: Eurostat (aei_fm_salpest09)

Eurostat also disseminates data at the second level of aggregation, under the ‘category of products’ as defined in the legislation. It provides a more detailed breakdown of pesticide categories. In 2021, inorganic fungicides accounted for an estimated 60 % of the 'fungicides and bactericides' sold in the EU (Figure 3). These inorganic fungicides refer to copper compounds, inorganic sulphur and other inorganic fungicides, many of which are permitted also in organic farming.

Figure 3: Sales of categories of ‘fungicides and bactericides’ (% share of total ‘fungicides and bactericides’, EU, 2021)
Source: Eurostat (aei_fm_salpest09)

'Organophosphorus herbicides' (including glyphosate) accounted for an estimated 38.2 % of sales of the substance group 'herbicides, haulm destructors and moss killers' in 2021 (Figure 4). The next largest shares by category within this substance group were 'herbicides based on amides and anilides' (an estimated 15.5 % of sales) and 'other herbicides' such as aryloxyphenoxy-propionic, pyridyloxyacetic-acid and triketone herbicides (which accounted for a further 13.9 % of sales).

Figure 4: Sales of categories of ‘herbicides, haulm destructors and moss killers’ (% share of total ‘herbicides, haulm destructors and moss killers’, EU, 2021)
Source: Eurostat (aei_fm_salpest09)

Over 90 % of sales in the substance group 'insecticides and acaricides' in 2021 were from the category of products 'other insecticides' (Figure 5). This category includes 17 chemical classes such as pyridylmethylamine insecticides, insecticides produced by fermentation and the straight chain lepidopteran pheromones (with about 35 different insect attractants). The next largest category within the group was 'insecticides based on pyrethroids' (accounting for 3.7 % of all sales of insecticides and acaricides).

Figure 5: Sales of categories of ‘insecticides and acaricides’ (% share of total ‘insecticides and acaricides’, EU, 2021)
Source: Eurostat (aei_fm_salpest09)

Source data for tables and graphs

• Consumption of pesticides: tables and figures

Data sources

Indicator definition

For the purpose of this article, the term 'pesticides' refers to plant protection products and covers the following categories:

• 'fungicides and bactericides',
• 'herbicides, haulm destructors and moss killers',
• 'insecticides and acaricides',
• 'molluscicides',
• 'plant growth regulators',
• 'other plant protection products'.

The consumption of pesticides in agriculture would best be indicated by figures on actual use of active substances in farms or by application rates. These data are, however, not yet available. Nevertheless, supporting this indicator are the volumes of pesticides sold, which can be used in agriculture and in other sectors such as forestry or on public/private areas. The statistics presented in this article refer exclusively to the quantities sold of different pesticide categories.

Main indicators:

• Used quantities of different pesticide categories (not available)
• Sold quantities of different pesticide categories

Links with other indicators

This indicator is linked with other agri-environmental indicators, available on the Eurostat webpage.

Data used and methodology

The data collection from reference year 2011 onwards is based on Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 concerning statistics on pesticides, which established a common framework for the systematic production of Community statistics on sales and use of plant protection products. The 'Harmonised classification of substances' classifies each active substance in a major group, category of products and chemical class. Eurostat is permitted to publish non-confidential aggregated national data (i.e. major groups, categories of products and chemical classes), but cannot disseminate data on individual active substances. Some classifications of active substances changed in reference year 2016 through the amendment by Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/269. Some newly approved substances were included in the data collection, while some substances received a different classification (for example changed from the major group 'insecticides and acaricides' to 'other plant protection products', or from the latter major group to 'fungicides and bactericides'). Eurostat and reporting countries are working towards creating a harmonised dataset for the whole of a time series that starts in 2011. Where this work is not yet finalised, the aggregated data are flagged with the flag ‘d’ (definition differs) in Eurostat's dissemination database. This is also explained in the methodological notes attached to the dataset.

In 2021, another update was made to the Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 (Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/2010). Newly approved substances were included in the data collection, but there were no changes in the classification and no impacts in the dissemination database.

Since 2022, pesticide sales data have also been categorised in different risk groups (low-risk, candidate for substitution, non-approved, chemical and non-chemical active substances) and published for each Member State on Eurostat's website.

Plant protection products are preparations consisting of or containing one or more active substances, in the form in which they are supplied to the user, intended to:

• protect plants or plant products against all harmful organisms or prevent the action of such organisms, in so far as such substances or preparations are not otherwise defined below;
• influence the life processes of plants, other than as a nutrient, (e.g. growth regulators);
• preserve plant products, in so far as such substances or products are not subject to special Community provisions on preservatives (e.g. extending the life of cut flowers);
• destroy undesired plants; or
• check or prevent undesired growth of plants.

Nevertheless, there is no common definition adopted by all Member States and there can be significant differences in the range of products used in different countries, so comparability is limited. Additional information on the situation in specific countries is required for any detailed assessment. Data refer to amounts of active substances, which are the substances in a commercial product that cause the desired effect on target organisms (fungi, weeds, pests, etc.). Base data is generally in kg of active ingredient sold per year for each of the main functional categories of products ('herbicides, haulm destructors and moss killers', 'fungicides and bactericides', 'insecticides and acaricides' and others). To date, there has been no harmonised way by which to convert the units that micro-organisms are often expressed in, colony-forming unit (CFU) or international unit (IU), into kilogram (kg). This limits the possibility to monitor the use of these pesticide active substances, and micro-biological substances are not included in the data used for this article.

Data on sales of pesticides cover agricultural and non-agricultural uses. Although using a total active ingredient volume as a pesticide indicator provides a broad indication of loading, it overlooks factors governing pesticide fate and intrinsic properties, which are often key parameters for determining long-term environmental impact. Total active ingredient values also do not discriminate between pesticides with transitory effects and those which are more persistent in the environment which may pose a greater risk to environmental and ecological quality objectives. There is no absolute relationship between the loading of active substances and the potential threat to the environment and human and animal health. Indicators of the intensity of pesticide use can, however, be a first step towards risk evaluation.

Pesticide sales statistics are affected by confidentiality restrictions. The impact of these restrictions on the data varies according to the Member States, the type of pesticides and the year. As regards the total sales of pesticides in the EU 2011-2021, < 1 % of the volume is confidential data.

Member States are obliged to publish their national pesticide statistics on the Internet. Eurostat has collected the links to these websites and this compilation is available as an annex to the European metadata file.

Context

Pesticides fight crop pests and reduce competition from weeds, thus improving yields and protecting the availability, quality, reliability and price of produce to the benefit of farmers and consumers. Pesticide use is partly influenced by economics (the most profitable crops are the ones most economically viable to treat), and partly by local soil and climatic conditions that determine the vulnerability of a site to pest infestation. It also depends on the type of farming (conventional or organic). Annual variations can depend on weather conditions, pest outbreaks, sales prices, etc.

At European Union level, one of the main objectives of the Green Deal initiative is to reduce the risks and the impact of pesticide use on human health and the environment. One of the concrete targets of the EU Farm to Fork Strategy is to reduce by 50 % the use and risk of chemical pesticides.

Member States monitor pesticide residues in food and feed relative to European maximum residue levels (MRLs) and in 2021 96.1 % of the 88 000 or so samples analysed fell within legal levels.

The environmental risk of pesticide use varies considerably from one pesticide to another, depending on the intrinsic characteristics of their active substances (toxicity, persistence, etc.) and use patterns (applied volumes, application period and method, crop and soil type, etc.). Measuring the real use of pesticides would allow a better estimate of the risks by crop and region for different compartments of the environment or for human health. At the moment, statistical data on the agricultural use of pesticides are available by Member State, but are not harmonised on a European scale. Under Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 concerning pesticide statistics, countries deliver data on the agricultural use of pesticides by crop every five years. However, the choice of crops monitored and the reference year vary between countries.

EU harmonised pesticide statistics are also needed for creating harmonised risk indicators. To calculate true risk indicators, it is necessary to establish toxicity and ecotoxicity levels for each active substance and combine these with relevant data on the quantities used and other information. The way in which pesticides are used (quantities, time and method of application, type of crop, type of soil, etc.) influences their effect on human health and the environment. However, apart from the crop type, statistics on these factors are not yet available. Risk indicators have therefore been developed based on pesticide sales statistics and other data.

Policy relevance and context

The ‘Farm to Fork Strategy – for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system’ – was adopted by the European Commission on 20 May 2020. The Farm to Fork Strategy aims to accelerate transition to a sustainable food system in the EU. In the action plan of the strategy, the Commission proposed a revision of the pesticides statistics regulation to overcome data gaps and reinforce evidence-based policy making. The legal instrument chosen for this is the proposal adopted by the Commission on 2 February 2021, for a Regulation on statistics on agricultural input and output.

Due to their potential toxicity, often even at very low levels, the application of pesticides has been strictly controlled by Community legislation since 1991 (by national legislation prior to 1991). Policy control measures in the EU are driven by the objectives of protecting human health and the environment (consumers, operator safety, protection of water quality and biodiversity). Only a limited number of pesticide active substances are permitted to be used in organic farming; those listed in Annex II of Commission Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 on organic production.

In 2009, the Sustainable Use Directive (Directive 2009/128/EC), the so-called 'SUD', established a framework to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides by reducing the risks and impacts of pesticide use on human health and the environment and promoting the use of integrated pest management and of alternative approaches or techniques such as non-chemical alternatives to pesticides. Instructions to adopt National Action Plans, develop obligatory systems for training and education, set up a framework for equipment inspections, examine alternative pest management methods, secure water protection, and apply harmonised risk indicators are fundamental. Following up on the Sustainable Use Directive, Member States have introduced country specific measures setting objectives and timetables to reduce risks and impact of pesticide use. The latest Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the SUD details the progress towards the full implementation of the requirements.

Article 15(4) of Directive 2009/128/EC requires the European Commission to calculate risk indicators at Union level using statistical data collected in accordance with Union legislation concerning statistics on plant protection products and other relevant data, in order to estimate trends in risks from pesticide use. Member States are also obliged to calculate the harmonised risk indicators (Article 15(2) of the Directive). The first harmonised risk indicators were introduced through amendment C(2019) 3580. The indicators are published on the SUD webportal.

The most important legal acts with regard to pesticides are the following:

• Directive 2009/128/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides;
• 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;
• Directive 2009/127/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 amending Directive 2006/42/EC with regard to machinery for pesticide application;
• Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption (Drinking Water Directive) which stipulates a maximum concentration of 0.1 μg/l (which in practice means the absence) for any single pesticide and its relevant metabolites (maximum of 0.5 μg/l for total pesticides) in potable water;
• Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy (Water Framework Directive) which identifies a large number of particularly toxic, persistent or bioaccumulative polluting substances in Annex VIII including organophosphate compounds.

Other relevant legislation include:

• Directive 2008/105/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy;
• Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 February 2005 on maximum residue levels of pesticides in or on food and feed of plant and animal origin.

Agri-environmental context

The use of pesticides plays an important role in agricultural production by ensuring less weed and pest damage to crops. However, their use can have negative environmental impacts on water quality, terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity (persistence and toxic effects on non-target species, etc.). The Sustainable Use Directive promotes the use of integrated pest management and of alternative approaches and techniques such as non-chemical alternatives to pesticides. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a strategy that promotes a safer and more sustainable management of pesticides. IPM strategies are evolving because of new emerging pests and climate change, and involve crop rotation, hygiene measures to prevent pest spread, protecting and enhancing beneficial organisms, using adequate cultivation techniques, appropriate cultivars or seeds. Farmers must implement IPM and give preference to non-chemical methods if they provide satisfactory pest control. The main purpose is to reduce the dependency on pesticides in agriculture.

Contamination of the environment from pesticides may result from spray drift, volatilisation, surface run-off, and subsurface loss via leaching/drainflow. The persistence of pesticides in the environment differs greatly and is dependent on factors such as their susceptibility to attack by micro-organisms and enzymes, soil temperature and water content. In the last decade, much work has been carried out in the agricultural sector to limit the negative effects of pesticides. Organic farming is increasing year-by-year and covered 9.1 % of the EU's Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA) in 2020. Four million farmers have been trained in the safe use of pesticides, and the number of EU approved low risk or non-chemical substances have doubled since 2009.

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External links

• Agri-environmental indicators – fact sheets

• Agriculture, see:

Agriculture and environment (aei)

Pesticides (aei_pes)

Pesticide sales (aei_fm_salpest09)

Pesticide use in agriculture (aei_pestuse)

Harmonised risk indicator 1 for pesticides by categorisation of active substances (aei_hri)

Pesticide sales by categorisation of active substances (aei_pestsal_rsk)

• Agriculture
• Agri-environmental indicators

• Key figures on the European food chain – 2022 edition (Statistical book)

• Pesticide sales (ESMS metadata file – aei_fm_salpest09_esms)
• Pesticide use in agriculture (ESMS metadata file – aei_pestuse_esms)
• Harmonised risk indicator 1 for pesticides by categorisation of active substances (ESMS metadata file – aei_hri_esms)

• Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 concerning pesticide statistics, as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/2010 of 17 November 2021
• Summaries of EU Legislation: Pesticide statistics
• Commission Communication COM(2006) 508 final – Development of agri-environmental indicators for monitoring the integration of environmental concerns into the common agricultural policy
• Commission Staff working document accompanying COM(2006) 508 final

• European Commission

• DG Agriculture and Rural Development

• Agriculture and pesticides

• DG Environment

• Chemicals

• DG Health and Food Safety

• Pesticides
• Sustainable use of pesticides
• Biocides
• Plant health and biosecurity

• CropLife Europe
• European Food Safety Authority

• Pesticides

Notes