Serious concerns have been voiced by MPs and Lords about the lack of science at the foundation of EU proposals to restrict pesticide availability.
At a public meeting of the All Party Science and Technology in Agriculture Group to discuss the new EU pesticide regulation, members of both the House of Commons and the Lords wanted to know why sound science has not informed the European Commission and Parliament proposals, given that food security, environment and public health may all be at stake.
Members were also puzzled about the consequences of food being imported from non-EU countries where chemicals banned within the EU continue to be used. If the Commission regards such imports as safe for consumers, then why restrict the use of these chemicals by EU farmers so putting them at a competitive disadvantage?
"The European Parliament's strictest proposals for hazard-based cut-off criteria would see 85 per cent of the pesticides used in crop production banned and even a 'watered-down' version will have serious consequences for food production," said Dominic Dyer, chief executive of the Crop Protection Association.
Food chain representatives are concerned about the consequences for both the farming and food manufacturing industries and have been pressing for a full impact assessment of the proposals.
"The UK government is already in a strong position to push for a safeguard clause in the final regulation text, which would call on the European Council to work with the Commission to carry out an EU-wide impact assessment during the 18-month window between the regulation being signed off and it coming into law," Dyer added.
He also stressed that Directorate Generals (DGs) Agriculture, Research and Trade must be involved in this assessment, not just DG SANCO as has been the case so far. "It would then have to be open for public scrutiny by all key stakeholders and, most importantly, by member states' parliaments," he added.
"Finally, we would need a clause saying that if the assessment concluded that the hazard cut-off criteria would have a negative impact on food supply that outweighed any benefits to public and environmental health, then the Council would be able to remove those criteria."
Following the meeting the Chair of the All Party Group, David Kidney MP, will be writing to the Prime Minister calling for a Council Expert Group to be established to undertake an EU wide impact assessment on the legislation.
A number of Peers are also planning to debate the issue in the House of Lords on the November 11.
