The EU has some of the most stringent regulations in the world when it comes to using plant protection products (PPPs or pesticides) in agriculture. Much more can be done, however, to improve regulatory convergence to reduce the risks of using PPPs and to guarantee a healthy and safe food supply for an ever-growing world population.

As a contribution to the Commission's evaluation of Directive 2009/128/EC  on the sustainable use of pesticides (SUD), the EESC has adopted an information report on this topic.

More than 10 years after its implementation, it is essential to evaluate whether the Directive is fit for purpose.

While significant progress has been made on the handling and treatment of pesticides, the lack of adequate knowledge remains the main obstacle to the optimal use of PPPs.

Monitoring and enforcement of the law is also considered to be a weakness of the SUD, as well as the absence of effective penalties for Member States that do not comply with the rules.

Although European farmers remain strongly committed to moving towards more sustainable agricultural practices, there is also broad consensus on the lack of alternative solutions and new technologies that are sufficiently cost-effective to ensure ideal crop maintenance.

"We need a holistic and ambitious approach in order to create a legislative framework enabling us to deal with the use of pesticides in a coherent, consistent and scientific way," emphasised José Manuel Roche Ramo, EESC rapporteur. (mr)