The European Commission has met to agree the use of 14 active substances requested by the UK horticultural industry.

The industry has requested the substances be permitted until December 31 2007, and this has been agreed despite the EU planning to revoke the actives on July 25 2003.

However, EC regulations provided temporary measures whereby EU member states were invited to identify those activities that should be given critical or 'essential use' status where no effective plant protection products remained, in order to allow time for alternatives to be developed.

Colin Harvey, chairman of the Horticultural Development Council, said: 'The HDC undertook much of the staff work to formulate a reply to the EU.'

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