EU Council Backs 25-Year Pesticide Renewals and Fast Track for Biocontrol

EU member states have agreed a Council negotiating position that would substantially change how plant-protection products are approved and renewed, while giving biocontrol substances priority in assessment.

Under the Council mandate on the remaining Omnibus X food and feed safety package, first approvals for many active substances would run for 15 years and subsequent approvals for 25 years, subject to exceptions. Low-risk active substances and products containing them would receive unlimited approvals or authorisations.

Biocontrol gets priority treatment

The Council position gives biocontrol substances priority in assessment, a change intended to accelerate access to lower-risk crop-protection tools. It also extends data-protection periods for plant-protection product tests and studies.

For conventional crop-protection suppliers, longer renewal periods could reduce the frequency of regulatory cycles. For biological-input developers, the more important change is the proposed fast-track treatment and the possibility of longer-lived authorisations.

Import residue rules are also in the package

The mandate also addresses maximum residue levels for imported food and feed involving certain pesticides that can no longer be used in the EU because of particularly hazardous properties. The Council broadened the approach to cover some risks to honeybees and groundwater.

This is not final EU law. The Council has agreed its negotiating position and must still negotiate with the European Parliament. The final text, implementation details and timing can change before adoption.