The battle against illegal pesticide products has taken positive steps forward in recent weeks with the news that major pesticide companies BASF, Bayer CropScience and DuPont have won three separate cases against counterfeiters and illegal traders.
According to the European Crop Protection Agency (ECPA), the victories – which took place in Germany, Spain and Poland respectively – are a clear indication of the 'determination' of the industry to fight the threat of illegal pesticides in Europe.
In Spain, three individuals were found guilty of committing a 'crime against public health and against consumers' after commercialising several products not registered in Spain, some of which featured the active ingredient imidacloprid, which is a registered Bayer CropScience product. The individuals were ordered to pay two fines each and not work with pesticides again.
BASF triumphed in a court case against Realchemie Nederland in Germany, regarding the illegal parallel import of a chemical identical to BASF's rape chemical Nimbus CS, which was subsequently ordered to be destroyed.
Similarly, DuPont filed charges in Poland against ‘Sergey Y.’ for selling counterfeit products based on technology it developed, with substantial damages awarded.
Rocky Rowe, who heads up the ECPA anti-counterfeit programme, said that the organisation would continue to work with governments to toughen legislation at European and national levels, with cases still proving lengthy and penalties light.
He added that legitimate producers were 'determined to stem the further increase in the counterfeit and illegal pesticide trade which is being accelerated by the reduction in pest management options posed by an EU regulatory review, combined with a harsh economy and unrelenting pest threats to the food supply'.
