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The European Commission forbids Romania and Lithuania to grant emergency authorizations for pesticides which affect the bees
The European Commission decided on Monday to forbid Romania and Lithuania to grant emergency authorizations for pesticides which contain three types of neonicotinoids ( imidacloprid, clotianidine and tiametroxame) which could affect the bees. The decision was taken in the context where on 18th January the ministry of agriculture authorized temporarily, for emergency situations, the use of these pesticides for the treatment of the corn and beetroot seeds. But their use affects the bees, and their use was limited in the European Union.
The European Commission mentions, in a press release of Monday that, even so, Romania and Lithuania granted several times emergency authorizations to allow the use of these substances in order to fight the pests for specific crops, authorizations which the European Authority for Food Safety (EFSA) does not consider justified.
‘This is the first time when the Commission adopts such decisions. Emergency authorizations for pesticides is not possible unless very strict conditions are observed. The green pact for Europe mentions the fact that the sustainability of the food chain is a priority for the EU and we cannot accept that the member states continue to use pesticides which affect the environment and the biodiversity when there are alternative solutions’ stated the European commissionaire for health, Stella Kyriakides.
The European Commission also set up a database on this Monday that will provide all emergency authorizations granted by the Member States.
On 18th January, the ministry of agriculture announced that they authorize for the spring period of 2020 the use in emergency situation of some products made up of active substances in the category of neonicotinoides to treat the corn seeds as well as the use in emergency situation of the beetroot seeds treated with a product for the protection of plats based on neonicotinoides.
‘Temporary authorizations represent legal instruments which member states have at their disposal to ensure access to products for the protection of the plants in situations where there is the phito-sanitary risk on the crops.Compared to the number of temporary authorizations granted by the EU member states between 2008 and 2018, temporary authorizations issued by Romania represent approximately 1.3% of the total number of temporary authorizations granted in the EU’ the minister says.
The periods for which MADR granted temporary authorization are : 20 January – 1 May 2020, in case of treatment and use of corn seeds and 20 January – 18 May for the use of the beetroot treated seeds.
The institution mentioned that the decision comes after the requests of the Association of Corn Producers of Romania, the National federation PRO AGRO and the Federation of the beetroot producers of Romania.