EU parliament backs pesticide regulations

Environmentalists have welcomed the European parliament's support for controversial new laws tightening pesticide use, amid warnings that the move could lead to an increase in food prices.

MEPs in Strasbourg on Tuesday voted in favour of legislation which could see more than 20 toxins taken off the market in European member states.

Under the proposals, more pesticide products will be available but a ban will be imposed on the use of certain chemicals.

Carcinogenic chemicals and those affecting human reproduction, as well as those threatening hormones, will all be phased out over a 10-year period.

However, the UK government is among those opposing the law and British Conservative MEPs are warning that the plans lack "balance and proportionality".

Robert Sturdy, a member of the European parliament's environment committee, said the ban would lead to a fall in production and an increase in prices.

"We do need strong restrictions on pesticide use but it should be based on sound science, rather than on the whim of politicians," he said.

"There has been no balance whatsoever in the parliament's position. MEPs have failed to see pesticides as necessary tools in maintaining our crops."

But ALDE deputy Chris Davies dismissed concerns that the laws would make it harder to grow certain fruits and vegetables.

"Pesticides and herbicides play a hugely important role in maintaining high-quality agricultural production, but we should not be using products that pose a threat to human health or the environment," he said.
 
"This new law will stimulate research and the development of safer alternatives that simply would not happen if no controls were introduced."

And Italian Greens/EFA co-president Monica Frassoni described the vote as "a victory for the Greens and environmentalists", claiming they had "managed collectively to resist enormous pressure" from industry.

Meanwhile, the Pesticide Action Network pointed to moves to create a pesticide "blacklist", with spokesman Elliott Cannell saying the EU was "just a heartbeat from eliminating dietary and occupational exposure to the worst carcinogenic and mutagenic pesticides".

Deputy director at the Health and Environment Alliance Monica Guarinoni said, "We are glad that MEPs have seized this unique opportunity to phase out pesticides that can play a role in the cancer pandemic and growing fertility problems."

"The pesticides policy reform approved today is a definite step forward for public health. We hope it will lead to creating healthier, pesticide-free public spaces at national level, especially in parks and schools where children spend most of their time."

However, the National Farmers' Union raised concerns that some safe products could be removed from the market.

NFU deputy president Meurig Raymond said pesticides were already heavily regulated and warned that further restrictions "could lead to reductions in crop yields and quality and a rise in food prices for household staples like potatoes and broccoli".

"Overall, we remain convinced that legislation should be based on a foundation of sound science and regret that there are still so many uncertainties associated with the agreed text and the lack of an impact assessment.

The EU wants to halve the use of toxic products in farming by 2013, but the legislation has been scaled back following pressure from the pesticides industry.

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