Today, the European Commission published its “Food and Feed Omnibus” proposal, dismantling some of the EU’s most fundamental protections against pesticides that poison our food, water, nature.
Pressured by corporate interests, the EU Commission would grant most pesticides indefinite approval, removing the current 10- to 15-year scientific reassessment that is essential for detecting new health and environmental harms. Regular re-evaluations of pesticides are the only times when chemical corporations are required to update safety information and take new scientific evidence into account. If these are removed, banning toxic chemicals would become far harder, even when new evidence clearly demonstrates their risks. Even with some exemptions for the most toxic substances or identified data gaps, the proposal fails to address the reality that many pesticide impacts are only discovered after years of use.
Clara Bourgin, food, farming and biodiversity campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe, reacted:
“This Christmas, the European Commission is giving us toxic pesticides, a gift no one asked for, except the pesticide industry. Indefinite pesticide approvals mean pesticides linked, among other things, to developmental delays in kids, infertility issues, the collapse of bees could stay on the market forever, even when their harm is uncovered.
Citizens are demanding stronger safeguards, not a rollback of decades of progress on food safety and environmental protection.”
To make matters worse, the Commission also proposes:
- limiting the ability of Member States to act on new evidence. Even when new studies reveal serious health or environmental risks, national authorities could not take immediate action without first requesting a Commission-led reassessment.
- doubling the period during which highly toxic pesticides can still be sold after being banned. Instead of 1.5 years, citizens could be exposed to these chemicals for up to 3 years.
At a time when Europe faces a severe biodiversity crisis, rising rates of pesticide-related illnesses, and growing public concern about chemical exposure, this move is an extremely dangerous step backwards. Rather than strengthening enforcement and addressing long-standing gaps in current pesticide approval rules, the Commission makes it easier for toxic chemicals to remain on the market.
Friends of the Earth Europe condemns this proposal, which is part of a broader corporate takeover of the EU agenda and focusses on short-term economic interests over public health, the environment, scientific evidence and democratic safeguards. We urge Members of the European Parliament and national governments to reject these changes and demand rules that protect people, farmers, biodiversity, and the public interest – not the profits of the pesticide industry.
More information
For more information on the European Commission’s proposal and its impacts, please check out our Q&A.
