"Without these changes, we risk pollinators and the ecosystem collapse, which will have impacts on food security and food prices," former EU Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said at the time."
"Fast forward to 2026, and the bloc has shelved the mandatory reduction regulation for good. What's more, in an effort to remove regulatory burdens for companies, the EU's executive body is now considering approving most pesticides permanently."
"This move to loosen controls has met with resistance from campaign groups. Manon Rouby from Pesticide Action Network (PAN) International says it undermines "the link between pesticide use and the impact it has on human health.""
"The EU's efforts to curb the use of pesticides date back to at least 2009, when the union adopted the first directive promoting sustainable practices. It suggested the substances only be used as a last resort. But the results were limited. In 2020, the European Court of Auditors concluded that the policy rollout was failing to achieve reduction goals."
The EU previously moved toward tighter pesticide controls, with citizens expressing concern and calls for phaseout. A binding proposal aimed to halve pesticide use by 2030 using a 2015–2017 baseline, supported by warnings about pollinators, ecosystem collapse, and downstream effects on food security and prices. By 2026, the mandatory reduction regulation was shelved. The EU executive body is considering approving most pesticides permanently to reduce regulatory burdens for companies. Campaign groups oppose the shift, arguing it weakens the connection between pesticide use and impacts on human health. EU efforts began with a 2009 directive promoting sustainable practices and last-resort use, but results were limited and audits found failure to meet reduction goals. The EU remains among the top global pesticide users despite a reported overall decline since 2015, while national patterns vary due to limited comparable data.
Read at www.dw.com
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