A number of traditional or naturally occurring pesticides used in organic production have failed to gain EU approval.

Almost half of the 25 chemical pesticides used in organic production have not been approved by the EU under Annex 1 of the 91/414 directive.

The British Crop Protection Council’s chairman, Dr Colin Ruscoe, said: “Surprising though it may seem, there are more than 25 chemical pesticides being used in organic production.”

It had been anticipated that the review process would change the current situation whereby some products, such as copper, which is traditional, or others that are naturally occurring - derived from plants - are used without a modern safety and environmental impact assessment.

The Annex 1 listing means that member states are now responsible for mitigating risks associated with the use of copper-containing compounds at national level, although a number of member states already restrict use of these products.

Ruscoe told FPJ: “All we are saying is that we support the requirements for complete data packages and risk assessments for conventional pesticides - and the same rules should be applied to organic ones too.

“European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) findings have highlighted significant concerns about the copper-based compounds - risks to mammals, the potential to accumulate in fish and other aquatic organisms, toxicity to bees and earthworms and to non-target plants.

“If such data gaps existed for conventional pesticides, these products would not be approved at EU level - it is a case of double standards.

“The commission’s rationale for the approval of copper-containing compounds is eagerly awaited. Perhaps it has waived its own rules in an attempt to support organic production by continuing to make these traditional pesticides available?

“The commission’s credibility will be hugely undermined if it does not show equal pragmatism when reviewing those pesticides, critical to conventional crop protection, that are now threatened by the new cut-off criteria,” warned Ruscoe.