[Pollinator] EU Proposes Tougher Rules on Pesticides

[Ladadams@aol.com]

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EU Proposes Tougher Rules on Pesticides

July 13, 2006 — By Associated Press 
BRUSSELS, Belgium — The European Commission proposed stricter rules Wednesday 
to regulate the use of pesticides including mandatory record-keeping of their 
use by farmers and a ban on aerial spraying. 

EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said tougher 
rules were needed to improve protection of the environment and human health. 

"It will ensure an even higher level of protection ... while also offering 
more choice to farmers and boosting competitiveness for the industry in this 
field," Kyprianou said. 

The plan, which needs approval by European Union governments, also seeks to 
tighten and simplify the rules for authorizing new pesticides that come on to 
the EU market. It also aims to force pesticide makers to reduce animal testing 
of their products. 

The EU head office said new rules were needed to prevent the overuse of 
pesticides and spur research into alternative methods. It said continued pesticide 
use damages water, air and soil and could cause long-term health problems for 
humans, animals and plants. 

"Long-term exposure to pesticides can lead to serious disturbances to the 
immune system, sexual disorders, cancers, sterility, birth defects, damage to the 
nervous system and genetic damage," the Commission said in a statement. 

The Commission said some 300,000 tons of pesticide substances were sold in 
Europe in 2003 with no sign of a decrease in use over the past decade. 

"Five percent of food and feed samples still contain unwanted residues of 
pesticides in quantities which exceed the maximum regulatory limits," the 
Commission said, adding that the contamination of rivers and streams was an acute 
problem in Europe. 

The use of crop-dusters to spray pesticides will be banned "except for 
strictly defined cases," to ensure residues do not end up in nearby streams or 
wildlife areas where they could do harm. 

The plan also calls for the banning of pesticides in specific sensitive areas 
near nature reserves or parks. 

Source: Associated Press 



Laurie Davies Adams
Executive Director
Coevolution Institute
423 Washington St. 5th
San Francisco, CA 94111
415 362 1137
http://www.coevolution.org/
http://www.pollinator.org/
http://www.nappc.org/


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