Pesticides

ABOUT THE ISSUE

Pesticides in the EU are covered by legislation governing Plant Protection Products (PPP) and Biocidal Products.They are used to kill or control harmful organisms, but can also cause adverse effects on non-target organisms. Before PPP can be commercialised, it needs to be authorised. The authorisation process requires safety tests to be conducted, using large numbers of animals (approximately 6500). Similarly with biocides this covers the safety testing of products and ingredients before they may be placed on the market.

WHAT IS THE CURRENT SITUATION

The authorisation of PPP and biocidal products in the EU are regulated by Regulation 1107/2009/EC and Directive 98/8/EC, respectively (Directive 98/8/EC to be replaced by regulation 528/2012 by 1 September 2013). Data requirements now include latest scientific state-of-the-art in safety testing decreasing the need for animal use.

WHAT ARE WE CALLING FOR

• The inclusion of non-animal test methods among data required before a product can be put on the market.
• The inclusion of intelligent testing strategies (a flexible approach in which the data collected are evaluated after each step, and decisions on remaining information needs are made based on the results of previous steps).