Plant protection products: placing on the market, evaluation of the active substances (Directive 91/414/EEC). Report

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Paul LANNOYE (Greens/EFA, Belgium) which is critical of the Commission's report. (Please refer to the document dated 24/04/02.) It called for the following before an active substance is included in Annex I: - the criteria for inclusion to be clarified and for them to constitute an integral part of the Directive; - the evaluation and authorisation procedure to consist of two stages, the first being the exclusion of any active substance which presents characteristics such as being carcinogenic, toxic, mutagenic, an endocrine disruptor, persistent, or bioaccumable; the second stage being that the active substance is on a priority list established under relevant international treaties ratified by the EU, or on a list of priority hazardous substances for water policy annexed to Directive 2000/60/EC. In the case of active substances not excluded, evaluation must take account of their incidence on the health of children or foetuses as well as any possible or synergetic effects linked to total exposure to certain pesticide products. Parliament added that the granting of authorisation should be conditional upon the producer providing information on the appropriate method of detecting the substance in respect of which the authorisation is requested. There needs to be a redefinition of the concept of "relevant metabolites" and for the revision of the corresponding "Guidance document", with a view to ensuring a complete toxicological evaluation of the metabolites of active substances equivalent to the toxicological evaluation of primary substances, as well as for the publication of the Guidance document on "Drinking water produced from surface water." Finally, there should be legally binding labelling requirements for produce treated with pesticides, so that the consumer is informed about all pesticides used during production, storage and marketing.�