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#SaveTheBees, civil society calls for true pesticide-free ecological transition in EU

June 17, 2022

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The #savebeesandfarmers coalition-promoter of the European Citizens Initiative (ECI) of the same name, #savebeesandfarmers-is calling on governments and MEPs to demand a true pesticide-free, green transition in the EU.

The occasion is related to the proposed reform of the so-called Pesticides Regulation that the European Commission is about to submit to the European Parliament and the Council. And to the need to concretely reduce the use of pesticides, as quickly as possible.

Table of Contents

1) #Let’sSaveApi and farmers.

1.2 million signatures were collected through 79 civil society organizations, including Égalité onlus, in support of the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Save Bees and Farmers. With the aim of prompting the European Commission to adopt a proposal for an EU regulation prescribing:

– The phasing out of pesticide use. -80% by 2030, -100% by 2035. Starting with the 55 most toxic and dangerous active substances, for human health and ecosystems,

– effective measures for restoring biodiversity, increasing UAA (Utilized Agricultural Area) dedicated to organic farming, and supporting research on agroecology (without pesticides or GMOs),

– Adequate support for farmers in the necessary transition to agroecology, according to FAO recommendations (2019). With a focus on small, diversified and sustainable farms. (1)

2) Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides. Toxic emergency in Europe

PAN(Pesticides Action Network) Europe has coordinated the#SaveTheBeesandtheFarmers (Save the Bees and the Farmers) coalition over the past year in a number of initiatives that help understand the ongoing emergency.

2.1) Domestic pollution, toxic substances

Domestic pollution. Dust analyses in the bedrooms of 21 homes in rural areas in as many member countries revealed the constant presence of pesticide residues, with a dangerous average co-presence of 8 molecules and peaks of 23 active substances in Belgium. (2)

Toxic substances. European consumers’ exposure to 55 substances particularly harmful to health and the environment, of which reg. EC 1107/09 had prescribed replacement, has instead increased by up to 50 percent over the past decade. As analysis conducted on fruits and vegetables Made in EU shows (report
#Forbiddenfruit
, 2022).

2.2) #BanToxic12

PAN Europe ‘s analysis confirms that member states-instead of fulfilling their obligation to ban the most dangerous pesticides-have consistently favored the interests of pesticide and seed monopolists (
Big 4
). As well as the lobbying of large agricultural confederations, e.g., Coldiretti, to serve them. In a direction contrary to the recommendations of international agencies (UNEP, United Nation Environment Programme, 2020).

The campaign
#BanToxic12
has been launched in recent days to urge the immediate ban of 12 particularly toxic substances, in the list of 55 mentioned above. With requests from:

– Independent review of replacement rules in 2022,

– Immediate stop to extensions, national waivers and systematic renewals,

– Zero residues in food by 2035.

2.3) SAIO(Statistics on Agricultural Input and Output).

The #SalviamoLeApi network also published an open letter-addressed to the Commission, the Parliament and the French Council Presidency-about the proposed EU regulation on agricultural statistics(Statistics on Agricultural Input and Output). (3)

The goals Of reducing the use of pesticides declared by the Commission e reaffirmed by the European Parliament in the EU strategy Farm to Fork are in fact meaningless when not based on accurate and up-to-date data on actual consumption of agrochemicals in member states and scientific evidence on the risks associated with their use. (4)

3) Reg. EU 1107/09, 13 years of dishonored service

3.1) Theory

Reg. EC 1107/2009, the so-called Pesticides Regulation, was supposed to reduce the use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, as well as the risks to public health and the environment from them. Approval of active substances was to be conditioned on a finding of no harmful effects on human health (including that of vulnerable groups), animal health and welfare, the environment and groundwater (Article 4.2). Also taking into account cumulative and synergistic effects( cocktail effect).

3.2) Practice

The rules introduced by the Pesticides Regulation, in fact, remained on paper. The data show how European agriculture, beyond political proclamations and greenwashing, has remained anchored in unsustainable agronomic practices. Moreover, without any economic benefit to the farmers. In fact, their dependence on agrochemicals, whose costs have risen well above agricultural commodity prices, has increased. Thus:

– pest management in agriculture remains predominantly pesticide-based, through the use of tanned seeds (i.e., coated with toxic substances) and multiple repeated sprays,

– consumption of pesticides has not decreased at all, as data on their sales show,

– ‘Integrated’ pest management with traditional agronomic practices (e.g., crop rotation, cover crops, use of buffer zones to stimulate natural pest control, mechanical weeding) actually remains relegated to organic farming,

– EU farmers’ knowledge of nonchemical alternatives and preventive pest control methods has not increased significantly. (5)

4) EU, the incoming reform proposal

The European Commission presents on 6/22/22 a proposal to reform reg. EC 1107/09 which theoretically aspires to reduce pesticide use and risk by 50 percent by 2030. However, this is not enough to stop the decline in biodiversity, already stigmatized by the European Court of Auditors (2020), nor the pollution of water and soil and damage to human health.

In addition, the proposal-which is already weak in itself-is under attack by the pesticide and seed monopolist lobbies(Big 4). Who claim the need to produce more food, whatever it takes. Now also with the false rhetoric of the war in Ukraine, whose impact on global food security is rather to be referred to the speculations of ABCD corporations(IPES, 2022).

5) Demands of #SaveTheBees to EU institutions.

Civil society participating and adhering to the #SalviamoleApi coalition therefore calls on the representatives of European institutions and peoples to approach the reform under consideration with the lucidity necessary to:

– Introduce binding targets for a gradual but complete elimination of pesticides. Considering both sales and frequency of application of agrochemicals as indicators,

– Tie CAP subsidies and National Strategic Plans to concrete pesticide reduction targets,

– Immediately ban highly hazardous pesticides and stop any exemptions to their bans,

– Prohibit the import of agricultural products and foodstuffs with pesticide residues that are not authorized in the EU, i.e., above the maximum permitted levels, without exception,

– Prevent theexport of pesticides banned in the EU (e.g., paraquat).

6) Interim Conclusions

Pesticides and other agrotoxics are ubiquitous-even in areas where they are not applied, as noted -and irreversibly contaminate soils, groundwater and surface water.

‘Let’s build a futuretogether where pesticide use becomes the exception and not the rule.’

We need healthy soils and biodiversity that can ensure the resilience of production with respect to climate change, drought, and soil drying that is increasingly trending toward desertification in the Mediterranean. The ecological transition is not a gala dinner, and small-scale farmers, its first players, must be supported with appropriate measures.

Dario Dongo