Pesticides: Evaluation Process in the EU

Abstract

Pesticides or plant protection products are used to protect plants and plant products against harmful organisms such as insects, fungi, and weeds. In the European Union the evaluation of active substances such as chemicals or microorganisms, used in plant protection products, and their residues in food and feed, is strictly regulated and follows a comprehensive process. This process has different responsibilities for risk assessors in the European Union (Member States (MS), and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)), and risk managers (the European Commission (EC) and MS). The objective of the risk assessment is to assess if active substances and their residues pose any harmful effect to human and animal health or any unacceptable effect on the environment. The final decision on the approval of an active substance in the EU rests with EU risk managers. Only if an active substance is approved at the European level, MS may grant authorisation of plant protection products, which contain the active substance along with other substances, if it is demonstrated that the product benefits plant production and does not have any harmful effect on human and animal health or any unacceptable effect on the environment. MS are responsible to monitor the levels of pesticides residues in/on food and feed at national level, and the findings are reported annually by EFSA.