There was an 8% reduction in the use and risk of chemical pesticides in the European Union in 2018, and a further 5% reduction in 2019, compared to the 2015-2017 baseline period. This compares favourably to the 4% average annual decline in the period from 2011 to 2016.

The results published today indicate that the use and risk of chemical pesticides in the Member States continues to decline, marking a positive step towards the objective of a reduction of the use and risk of chemical pesticides by 50% under the Farm to Fork strategy.

There was also a 12% reduction in the use of more hazardous pesticides (mainly candidates for substitution) in the European Union in 2019 compared to the 2015-2017 baseline period. While noting that pesticide use can be influenced by seasonal factors, this is a particularly significant development given that the use of these pesticides had increased since 2011. Therefore, 2019 marked the first significant decline in their use over this period.

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