Back to top
Eurostat logo
Reference metadata Information message

Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.

For more information, please consult our metadata website section.

Close
Graphic logo

Pesticide use in agriculture (aei_pestuse)

DownloadPrint

Reference Metadata in ESS Standard for Quality Reports Structure (ESQRS)

Compiling agency: Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union

Need help? Contact the Eurostat user support

Short metadata
Full metadata

2.1.1. Main characteristics of statistics

According to Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009, the Member States shall collect the data necessary for the specification of the quantity of each active substance contained in plant protection products used on a selected crop and the area treated with each substance.

The active substances are listed in Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/269 of 16 February 2017. The quantity of active substances is expressed in kilograms. The area treated with each substance is expressed in hectares.

Regarding the selection of crops,  Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 stipulates that the crops selected by a country shall be representative of the crops cultivated in the Member State and of the substances used. As a result, the selection of the covered crops differs among the Member States.

The data collection is mandatory for all Member States of the European Union, Norway and Iceland, and optional for other EFTA countries as well as for candidate and potential candidate countries.

2.1.2. Reference period of data collection

The data collection takes place every five years. Correspondingly, the first 5-year period covered the years 2010-2014, while the most recent data collection refers to the 2015-2019 five years period. In compliance with Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009, countries are obliged to collect data at least for one reference year (maximum 12 months) out of five years and cover all plant protection treatments associated with the crop. Consequently, the reference year for the data collection differs among Member States. For a detailed overview of the reference years selected by the Member States to collect data on pesticides, see table 2.1.2.1 below.

 

Table 2.1.2.1. - Reference periods used by the Member States to collect data on pesticide use in agriculture - National quality reports 2015-2019

Reference year[1] Member State
2015 IE (Outdoor and protected vegetable crops), FR (Arboriculture), IT, CY, PL
2016 IE (Arable crops), FR (Viticulture), IT, CY, NL, PL
2017 BE, DK, IE (Grassland and Fodder crops), FR (Arable land crops), IT, CY, LV, AT, PL, PT, SI, SE
2018 BG, DE, IE (Soft and Top fruit), FR (Arboriculture and Vegetable), IT, CY, LT, LU, PL, RO, SK, FI
2019 CZ, EE, El, ES, HR, IT, CY, LV, HU, MT, PL

 

[1] The reference period shall indicate the year in which the harvest began

Not Applicable

Concept

This data collection comprises pesticide use data as specified in Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009. Each Member State shall collect data on pesticide treatments on representative crops during a five-year period.

Variables

For each selected crop the following variables shall be compiled:

  1. the quantity of each substance listed in Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 contained in pesticides used on this crop; and
  2. the area treated with each substance.

Reporting measures

  1. Quantities of active substances used expressed in kilograms (kg);
  2. Areas treated expressed in hectares (ha).

Reference period

The period of each data collection covers five years, starting from the first five-year period 2010-2014. The currently reported reference period is 2015-2019. The countries were obliged to collect data at least for one reference year (maximum 12 months) out of five years and cover all plant protection treatments associated with the crop. The reference period shall be reported as the year in which the harvest began. As a result, the frequency and selection of year(s) differ among the Member States. The majority of the Member States collected data only in one year of the five-year period. Only three Member States (IT, CY and PL) collected the data each year, while LV used the reference years 2017 and 2019 and in IE and FR the data collection was organised for reference years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. It should be noted that the Member States often collected different crops in different years. Detailed information on the reference year(s) selected by the Member States can be found in table 2.1.2.1. 'Reference periods used by the Member States to collect data on pesticide use in agriculture' provided under Chapter 2.1.

Definitions

Plant protection products:

Products that consist of or contain active substances (safeners or synergists), and that are intended for one of the following uses:

  • protecting plants or plant products against all harmful organisms or preventing the action of such organisms, unless the main purpose of these products is considered to be for reasons of hygiene rather than for the protection of plants or plant products;
  • influencing the life processes of plants, such as substances influencing their growth, other than as a nutrient;
  • preserving plant products, in so far as such substances or products are not subject to special community provisions on preservatives; 
  • destroying undesired plants or parts of plants, except algae unless the products are applied on soil or water to protect plants; 
  • checking or preventing undesired growth of plants, except algae.

Active substances: 

The active substances are listed in Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/269 of 16 February 2017. The quantity of active substances is expressed in kilograms. Eurostat disseminates the active substances on the three aggregation levels available in the harmonised classification of substances, called major groups (first level), categories of products (second level) and chemical classes (third level). The major groups are divided in the following categories:

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

The full code list of active substances and their aggregation levels is annexed at the end of this report (Annex 1_List of pesticides).

The disseminated data excludes micro-biological substances because of the difficulties to convert units used to express them (such as colony-forming unit (CFU)) into kilogram (kg), the reporting unit used for dissemination.

Crop:

Agricultural plant product that can be cultivated and harvested. The crops follow the definitions contained in the Annual crop statistics Handbook 2019.

The crops selected by Member States shall be representative of the crops cultivated in the Member State and of the substances used. The selection of crops shall take into account the most relevant crops for the national action plans as referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2009/128/EC. The list of the covered crops with corresponding codes is provided in table 2.3.1.1.

Quantity:

The amount of kilograms of the active substances used on a certain crop. Values reported in units other than kilograms are not taken into account.

Area treated:

The physical area treated with plant protection products in hectares. It can be a whole crop parcel or only parts of a plot. The same physical area can also be treated several times, which can lead to double counting. Therefore, the area treated is published only for those Member States who can ensure that multiple treatments could be identified and reported separately. Regarding the reference period 2015-2019 the data on area treated could be published for 12 Member States (DK, EL, FR, HR, IT, CY, LU, HU, PL, PT, RO and SI).

The basic units of statistical observation for which data are provided are agricultural holdings or crop parcels.

Agricultural holdings

The definition of agricultural holding for the purposes of animal production statistics is set in Regulation (EU) 2018/1091 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on integrated farm statistics, Article 2(a).

  • An agricultural holding, or holding, or farm is a single unit, both technically and economically, operating under a single management and which undertakes economic activities in agriculture in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006 within the economic territory of the European Union either as its primary or secondary activity.

According to the information provided in the national report, 22 Member States indicated that the basic statistical unit is in their country an agricultural holding (BE, BG, CZ, DK, DE, EE, IE, ES, HR, IT, CY, LV, LT, LU, HU, MT, PT, RO, SI, SK, SE, FI). Two Member States (EE, LT) specified that also small agricultural units/family farms are considered and two Member States (HU and RO) added that only those agricultural holdings using pesticides for the observed crop categories are taken into account. Some of the Member States declared that in addition to agricultural holdings, also individual crop parcels are classified as statistical units (FR[1], PL, NL). In AT for farm use data, the statistical unit for two of three data packages is a field, and for one data package it is the acreage for the respective crop on the farm. For the seed certification data, the statistical unit is one batch of seed.

Other units

The other statistical units may be for example those units involved in pesticides trade or pesticide suppliers.

At least one Member States (EL) indicated that each individual pesticide sale, intended for use in the selected covered crops, within its territory, is considered a statistical unit.

 

[1] The statistical unit corresponds to a crop parcel, defined as an area of adjoining land planted with the same species, same variety (or group of similar varieties), same planting or sowing date, same previous crop and treatment in terms of homogeneous cultivation practices (fertilisation, tilling, phytosanitary treatments).

The statistical population is the framework of the statistical units for the reference period and, as such, it depends on the statistical subject.

For the statistics on pesticide use in agriculture all plant protection treatments on a selected crop have to be reported. The number of crops however is not prescribed. The detailed description of the statistical population, as well as any possible thresholds used, as indicated in the national quality reports 2015-2019 is provided in table 2.6.1. below.

 

Table 2.6.1. Statistical population - National quality reports 2015-2019

Member State Statistical population
BE All the agricultural holdings covered by the Regulation (EC) No 1166/2008 on farm structure surveys.
BG The main sample was selected from the IACS 2018 population of holdings - wheat, barley, corn for grain, rapeseed and sunflower. The sample was selected at the level of statistical region. A different number of interviews is filled in for each farm depending on whether it grows any of the listed 5 crops in separate statistical regions.
CZ The statistical population includes agricultural holdings reaching the following thresholds: 10 ha of arable land or 5 ha of specialty crops (the sum of the area of vineyards, hop gardens and orchards), or 1 ha of vegetables. Agricultural holdings dealing with organic farming are excluded. All plant protection treatment on selected crop is reported.
DK Agricultural holdings with a yearly turnover at approximately 6600 Euro or more, or farmers with a total of 10 acres or more.
DE Agricultural holdings which are representative of the region in which they are located.
EE All agricultural holdings growing the crops.
IE For each of the surveys listed the total population including agricultural  holding numbers, target crops and target crops areas was established. This population data was analysed including stratified by holding size and geographical location and a representative statistical sample was selected to be surveyed. The statistical analysis of the population and selection of sample farms to be surveyed is carried out by experienced statistical contractor.
EL Sales of plant protection products in the Greek market intended for use in the selected crops.
ES The frames of the agricultural holdings growing the selected crops.
FR Depending on the thematic area, the universe from which the sample is drawn comes from different administrative databases :

-  viticulture (2016) : vineyard register (customs);

-  arboriculture (2015 and 2018): 2012 orchards inventory;

- vegetable crops (2018): CAP graphic parcel register and farms specialized in vegetable production according to the SIRUS directory (national statistical institute directory which contains all the trade units and all the employing units);

-  arable crops (2017): CAP graphic parcel register.
HR Active agricultural holdings in 2019.
IT Agricultural holdings with relevant crops included in the list of the Ministry of Agriculture.
CY The statistical population varies from year to year, depending on the crops covered.
LV Population frame includes in 2017 all economically active agricultural holdings with areas of winter wheat, spring wheat, rye, spring barley, winter barley, oats, triticale, buckwheat, mixed cereals, spring rape and winter rape and field beans and in 2019 holdings with areas of apple trees, pear trees, plum trees, cherry trees, raspberries, strawberries, cabbages, carrots, beetroots, onions, potatoes, green maize.
LT Agricultural companies and enterprises, farmers’ and family farms having arable land, pastures, meadows and perennial plantations. Organic production holdings are not included.
LU The field of observation consists of commercial farms, i.e. those having a standard output more than 25.000€ (size classes 6 – 14) an covered by the FADN.
HU Statistical population are the users of pesticide products.
MT Agricultural holdings with a total area of 0.224ha or more.
NL Agricultural holdings with the requested crops. No minimum size of hectares, in addition of that they are included in de agricultural census.
AT The farms volunteered to provide data. The size of the farms reflects the range of farm sizes in AT.
PL Statistical population consists of farms of legal persons and organizational units without legal personality as well as farms of natural persons. In sample drawing process for each crop the criterion of  minimum area of a given crop was used. In 2019 the thresholds were as follows: oats - 0,25 ha, spring wheat - 0,28 ha, cabbage - 0,10 ha, plum - 0,3ha, currant - 0,16 ha  In 2018 the thresholds were as follows: spring barley - 0,4ha, winter rape - 1ha, sour cherry - 0,05ha, apple - 0,1ha, raspberry - 0,08ha In 2017 the thresholds were as follows: winter wheat - 0,4ha, rye - 0,4ha, potatoes - 0,08ha, field tomatoes - 0,06ha, field cucumber - 0,05ha, tomatoes under glass - 0,03ha, cucumber under glass  - 0,02ha, strawberries - 0,1ha In 2016 the thresholds were as follows: pears - 0,02ha, onion - 0,12ha, winter triticale - 0,4ha, maize - 0,5ha, carrots - 0,05ha, sugar beet - 1ha.
PT The data is estimated based on a model (combination of different data sources).
RO All agricultural holdings that used pesticides for the main crops and the pesticide amounts (active substance) used.
SI Active agricultural holdings in SI in 2017.
SK Data and information on pesticide use are collected from the following subjects: farms, agricultural enterprises, self-employed farmers that manage agriculture land with the area above 50 ha, organic farms/farmers, farmers supported by specific subsidies schemes (integrated production within Rural Development Plan for the SR).
FI Agricultural and horticultural holdings with minimum annual Standard Output of 2000 Euros.
SE Agricultural holdings in SE in 2017 under conventional farming.

The EU statistics on pesticide use in agriculture are drawn up for the territory of the Member States. The area is the territory of the Member States as defined by Regulation (EC) No 11059/2003. For non-EU countries, territory follows the definition agreed bi-laterally between Eurostat and the country concerned.

The entire territory of each country (NUTS 0) of the EU Member States, UK and Norway.

The 2015-2019 data on pesticide use in agriculture was submitted by the 27 EU Member States, Norway and the United Kingdom. Additional countries submitting data were Iceland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Turkey and Kosovo.

The following geographical coverage specificities were indicated in the 2015 -2019 national quality reports:

  • DK: The data does not cover Greenland and Faroe Islands.
  • EL: Mount Athos region is included even though not explicitly. Commercial activities in that region are very limited and the majority, if not all, of the pesticides used in that region are purchased from stores located in the nearby Greek regions.
  • ES: Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Ceuta and Melilla are included.
  • FR: Overseas departments are covered for crops specific to overseas territories (Guadeloupe and Martinique for bananas, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion for sugar cane). The entire metropolitan territory of the country is covered for all other crops.
  • IT: Vatican and San Marino are excluded.
  • NL: Aruba-Curaçao-Sint Maarten-Bonaire-Sint Eustatius-Saba are excluded.
  • PT: Azores and Madeira are included.
  • FI: Åland Islands are included.
Not Applicable

In a general statistical sense, the statistical data accuracy is the closeness of computations or estimates to the exact or true values that the statistics were intended to measure, while the reliability of the data is defined as the closeness of the initial estimated value to the subsequent estimated value.

The Member States were invited to describe the main sources of random and systematic errors related to the national data collection and to provide a summary assessment of all errors with special focus on the impact on key estimates.

Generally, as regards 2015-2019 data collection on agricultural use of pesticides the degree of accuracy is indicated to be good by all Member States.

The following items 6.2 - Sampling error and 6.3 - Non-sampling error provide a short summary of considerations of countries about errors and how to overcome them.

Summary of information on overall accuracy, as provided in the national quality reports, is annexed at the end of this report (Annex 5_Overall accuracy).

Not Applicable

Data compilation by Eurostat

As some biological fungicides and insecticides occur in various forms and concentrations (e.g. liquid), countries faced the difficulty to convert other measuring units, for example colony-forming units (CFU), into kilograms. As the common methodology for transformation is under development in order to assure data comparability, Eurostat decided not to disseminate micro-biological substances so far.

Data compilation by countries

Data are aggregated by the countries according to the categories specified in Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009.

The summary information on data compilation is annexed at the end of this report (Annex 4_Methods of data compilation). More detailed information can be found in the attached national quality reports 2015-2019.

The methods for data collection and production of statistics on pesticide use in agriculture are not set out in the EU legislation. The use of other data sources than a survey is possible if their quality is sufficient. In practice, Member States developed various statistical processes applying different methods or combination of them depending on the specific system for production statistics on pesticide use at national level. The system may include annual census or sample farm surveys, specialised industry surveys, use of administrative data sources, expert estimations (forecasts), assessments, compilations, as well as modelling.

Using administrative sources reduces the burden on respondents but requires an understanding of the limits of such data in order to ensure good quality.

In the 2015-2019 reference period the source of data varies depending on the country. Most Member States used sample surveys and extrapolated the results to the population of farms. Often the samples were stratified according to farm size, geographical location, crop type and coverage etc., and the main methods used were interviews with questionnaires or collection of farmers' records. Some Member States used census or administrative data (sometimes in combination with sample surveys). Additional data sources may be used to improve the quality of the main data, for instance in terms of coverage, accuracy or completeness.

The detailed description of the statistical data sources used, as provided in the national quality reports 2015-2019, can be found in table 3.1.1. below.

More detailed information on the data sources used to collect the required information on pesticide use in agriculture can be found in the attached national quality reports.

 

Table 3.1.1. Statistical data sources - National quality reports 2015-2019

Data source Member State Notes
Census LT, HU LT: Census of use of plant protection products in agricultural companies and enterprises growing crops and potentially using plant protection products for crops (electronic questionnaire).

HU: Census of use of plant protection products in agricultural companies and enterprises (electronic questionnaire).
Sample survey BG, CZ, DE, EE, IE, ES, FR, IT, CY, LV, LT, HU, MT, NL, AT, PL, PT[1], RO, FI, SE

BG: Face-to-face interviews with paper questionnaires, extrapolation by expert estimate.

CZ: Sample survey paper (data collection by phone, postal or electronic questionnaire).

DE: Farmers' records of pesticide use data of sample farms collected (panel pesticide applications).

EE: The data on agricultural use of pesticides are collected by a web-based statistical questionnaire linked to annual „Crop production" survey through the eSTAT web application and by paper-based postal survey.

IE: Sample survey (face-to-face interviews).

ES: Sample survey (information collected by web-questionnaire, by e-mail or by phone from a Farmers’ Farm Notebook that is recorded obligatory by the farm holder).

FR: Sample survey (face-to-face interviews, electronic questionnaire).

IT: Preliminary CAWI, then CATI (electronic questionnaire).

CY: Sample surveys on the use of plant protection products for 1) fruit trees, citrus, olives and nuts, 2) vineyards, 3) cereals and fodder crops, 4) potatoes, vegetables, melons and strawberries (telephone interviews).

LV: Sample survey (face-to-face interviews).

LT: Sample survey on private farms (face-to-face interviews, telephone interview, electronic questionnaire).

HU: Sample survey of use of plant protection products in private farms (electronic questionnaire).

MT: Sample survey (face-to-face interviews, paper questionnaire).

NL: Sample survey (electronic and also paper questionnaires).

AT: Sample survey (farmers' existing records of pesticide use collected from farms having recordkeeping obligations).

PL: The collection of data on the consumption of pesticides on the surveyed crops for a given year is carried out nationwide on the basis of surveys conducted by WIORiN (Voivodeship Inspectorates of Plant Health And Seed Inspection) inspectors on the use of PPPs in farms. On the basis of individual contact details of farms selected by the Statistics Poland (in .electronic form), WIORiN inspectors conduct a direct interview or a telephone interview.

PT: Sample survey on vegetable area and production (face-to-face interviews with paper questionnaires and also electronic data collection). The results of this survey are together with other data sources to estimate the agricultural use of pesticides.

RO: Sample survey (face-to-face interviews with paper questionnaires and self-registration for the legal units.).

FI: Sample survey - Data on pesticide use were in 2018 collected within the annual crop production data collection (combination of sample survey, IACS data and census on horticultural production - vegetables. melons, and strawberries, and permanent corps).

SE: Sample survey (electronic questionnaire and telephone interview).
Administrative data source DK, EL, LU, NL, AT, PT[2], SI, SK DK: Data collected by Environmental Protection Agency - Census (all farmers need to record and report all spraying data).

EL: Administrative data (Pesticide sales database that includes identification details about the buyer, the municipality where the sale took place, the commercial name and amount of pesticide sold and the type of crop that will be treated with the pesticide sold. It does not include the area intended for treatment with the amount sold).

LU: Accountancy data of sampled farms among the bookkeeping farms (FADN) were used.

NL: Additional information are obtained from the administrative registers for Sustainable ornamental crops, Sustainable sugar production, Sustainable vegetables under cover and Sustainable arable farming like seed potatoes;

AT: Records from the Seed certification system.

PT: Data on pesticides sale collected by the Direção Geral Alimentação e Veterinária (DGAV).

SI: Use of administrative data collected by  the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for safety food, veterinary medicine and plant protection (sample of 7500 units defined by Statistical office of Slovenia).

SK: Data are collected on the basis of national legislation. All professional regular users of pesticides in agriculture are obliged to submit reports containing data and information on the use of pesticides in given year to the Central Controlling and Testing Institute in Agriculture (CCTIA). The database containing the data collected from these reports is used as data source to compile the pesticide use statistics.
Expert data supplier HR HR: Administrative data (Estimations based on a research study on the use of pesticides).
Others BE, NL, PT, SE BE: FADN.

PT: The data on agricultural use of pesticides is estimated based on a model combining different data sources.

NL: Producers organisations - estimates the percentage of farms using no crop protection products in a certain crop (interpretation of responses categories. No data collection).

SE: IACS - Contact information to farmers and crop areas to be pre-printed in the web-survey were taken from this source.. Farm register - Final crop areas were taken from this source.

 

[1] The sample survey described in the Portugal quality report is used to collect the annual data on area and production of vegetables that are used in a model to estimate the agricultural use of pesticides data.

[2] Data on pesticide sales in Portugal.

Not Applicable

In the frame of the 2015-2019 quality report, the timeliness described by Member States refers to all their data users, Eurostat being one of them. The information provided reflects the importance attached to this quality dimension. The fact that some Member States also publish preliminary results reflects the desire to satisfy user needs regarding data freshness. The outcome of the 2015-2019 quality reports is provided below, under headings 7.1.1 and 7.1.2.

The transmission deadline for the statistics on pesticide use in agriculture is set out in Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009. Pursuant to Article 3 (2) Member States shall transmit to the Commission (Eurostat) the statistical results, including confidential data, in accordance with the schedules and with the periodicity specified in Annexes I and II. Data shall be presented in accordance with the classification given in Annex III. Annex II, Section 5 further specifies that:

(1) For each five-year period, Member States shall compile statistics on the use of pesticides for each selected crop within a reference period as defined in Section 4 of the aforementioned Regulation

(2) Member States may choose the reference period at any time of the five-year period. The choice can be made independently for each selected crop.

(3) The first five-year period shall start at the first calendar year following 30 December 2009.

(4) Member States shall supply data for every five-year period.

(5) Data shall be transmitted to the Commission (Eurostat) within 12 months of the end of each five-year period and published, in particular on the Internet, in accordance with the requirements regarding the protection of statistical confidentiality as laid down in Regulation (EC) No 223/2009, with a view to providing information to the public.

 

The actual timeliness (length of time between the event and availability of the statistical output) can be shorter than the legal timeliness if data are provided earlier. The time lag between the actual release date and the planned (agreed or legal) date is called punctuality.

The actual timeliness for EU-27 results depends on timeliness achieved among Member States. The time taken for data validation and dissemination by Eurostat is also taken into account.

 

Detailed information on timeliness and punctuality can be found in the attached national quality reports.

 

From the Eurostat point of view the data are collected and published on country level (NUTS 0). A comparability of regions within countries is therefore not possible.

The comparability between countries is theoretically very good due to the same harmonised classifications used for pesticides and crops. In practice however, countries choose very different crops out of the list of about 200 crop codes as they were asked by the Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 to select representative crops for their country. This resulted in more than 150 crop codes used in total during the 2015-2019 data collection, of which about forty crop codes were chosen by only one country. If a crop is chosen only by one or very few countries, there is of course no comparability possible for this specific crop. Considering the transregional differences in Europe regarding climate, soil, agricultural traditions and practices, etc., it becomes clear that the cultivated crops cannot be the same for all European countries. Nevertheless, Eurostat tried to tackle the problem of low EU-wide comparability and proposed a reduced list of mandatory crops to collect on a voluntary basis starting with the implementation of SAIO.

Comparability over time is not ensured due to the fact that the data collection covers a reference period of five years and countries are free to choose the year of data collection.

According to the Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009, countries are obliged to collect data at least for one reference year (maximum 12 months) out of five years and cover all plant protection treatments associated with the crop. As a result, the frequency and selection of year(s) differ among the countries.

For a detailed overview of the reference periods used by Member States in the 2015-2019 data collection, see aforementioned table 2.1.2.1. Reference periods used by the Member States to collect data on pesticide use in agriculture.