Simplification and strengthening of food and feed safety requirements

PURPOSE: to simplify and strengthen EU food and feed safety requirements.

PROPOSED ACT: Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: Directive 2009/128/EC lays down the legal framework for the sustainable use of pesticides (plant protection products). It provides for a prohibition of aerial spraying of pesticides by an aircraft. However, it allows individual derogations from that prohibition, under certain conditions.

Since the entry into force of Directive 2009/128/EC, experience has shown that the procedure for individual derogations from the prohibition of aerial spraying of pesticides entails considerable administrative burden for professional users and it slows down and restricts the development of technologies that could allow for safer choices for human health and the environment. Certain types of unmanned aircraft systems (commonly referred to as drones) under particular conditions are capable of minimising the exposure of the operator to the use of pesticides in the field and could allow professional users to apply pesticides in more targeted ways. Such unmanned aircraft systems are likely to help reduce the use of pesticides and consequently help reduce the risks to human health and the environment compared to the use of land-based application equipment.

It is therefore appropriate to enable Member States to exempt such types of unmanned aircraft systems from the prohibition of aerial spraying provided for in Directive 2009/128/EC under certain conditions.

Directive No 98/58/EC sets minimum requirements for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes. Owners or keepers of animals kept for farming purposes are currently required to keep records of medicinal treatments given to animals and of the number of mortalities. Reporting obligations imposed should be simplified to avoid duplication of record keeping requirements for farmers. Therefore, Directive 98/58/EC should be amended.

CONTENT: this proposed Directive:

- amends Council Directive 98/58/EC on the protection of animals kept for farming purposes and Directive 2009/128/EC establishing a framework for sustainable use of pesticides, with a view to simplifying and strengthening food and feed safety requirements. The proposal also repeals Council Directives 82/711/EEC and 85/572/EEC, which are obsolete or redundant;

- amends Council Directive 98/58/EC and Directive 2009/128/EC with the aim of simplifying and strengthening EU food and feed safety requirements, while maintaining a high level of protection for human and animal health and the environment.