PAN Europe Reveals Member States Granting Illegal Derogations for Highly Hazardous Pesticide Substances

An analysis of the EU Commission database on "emergency authorisations" for 24 normally non-approved active substances between 2019 and 2022 found 236 derogations given to 14 highly hazardous to human health and/or the environment substances. Neonicotinoid insecticides represent 47.5% of such derogations. Austria, Finland, and Denmark are the countries giving the most derogations, while Luxembourg, Malta and Bulgaria did not declare any such derogation. The PAN Europe further identified that the derogations provided are not in line with the EU legislation as they are not underpinned by a true emergency that justifies them. They ask the EU to put an end to the derogations provided to non-approved pesticide substances, as they have been banned to protect citizens’ health and the environment.