EU bans one of the world's most commonly used fungicides

One year to use up banned mancozeb

Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety: ‘urgently withdraw all authorisations for mancozeb’.

One of the most commonly used fungicides in the world, considered by farmers as crucial for resistance management, is no longer approved as an active substance in the EU.

The ban on mancozeb was first proposed by the European Commission early in 2020.

Approval as an active substance in the EU level was due to expire at the end of this month, but was brought forward to January 4, last Monday.

It follows a scientific assessment by the European Food Safety Authority which confirmed health and environmental concerns.

Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said, “We cannot accept that pesticides harmful to our health are used in the EU.

“Member States should now urgently withdraw all authorisations for plant protection products containing mancozeb”.

Member States have until July 4, 2021, to withdraw all authorisations for plant protection products containing mancozeb. The grace period for farmers to use up stocks of products with mancozeb ends on January 4, 2022.

Separately, the European Food Safety Authority announced the start of the review process for existing Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for mancozeb, on December 15, 2020.

Many imported products may be affected by MRL reductions, because mancozeb is a key pesticide in production of crops such as bananas, cranberries, and vegetables.

Despite the EU clampdown on pesticides, France has gone ahead with authorisation for three years of seeds coated with neonicotinoid insecticides, which are thought to be harmful for bees.

France has stipulated that “until July 1, 2023, joint decrees by the ministers of agriculture and the environment” can authorise “the use of seeds treated with products” containing these controversial insecticides.

This derogation is designed to save the French sugar beet sector, struggling with an infestation of green aphids, vectors of a virus which damages beet crops.

Environmental activists denounced the move as a disastrous regression for biodiversity.