sustainable use of glyphosate reflect a balance between the need for effective weed control
and the desire to minimise the potential risks to human health and the environment.
“Fastrack” for hybrid herbicide – A request from Ciech Sarzyna for a specific timeline
within which government agencies or officials would complete administrative processes
related to the approval of more sustainable pesticides
A request from Ciech Sarzyna to establish restrictions on the duplication of herbicide
recipes to facilitate innovation in the industry and the production of potentially less harmful
herbicides
The Cabinet took note of their position and suggested speaking to CAB Kyriakides who
oversees the file.
2. The Sustainable Use of Pesticides Proposal:
The proposal aims for the development and use of safer and more sustainable pesticides,
as well as the promotion of non-chemical alternatives to control pests. The stakeholder
raised that the administrative process for companies in the EU seeking to use bio
glyphosate, or glyphosate-based herbicides, can be complex and time-consuming. EU
regulations require companies to develop and implement national action plans for reducing
pesticide use and promoting alternative pest control methods.
Medium-sized enterprises face additional challenges in complying with the EU's rules on
the sustainable use of pesticides, including glyphosate as they comply with the same rules
and regulations as larger companies. They must submit applications for approval to use
glyphosate and meet the same data requirements and safety standards as big market
players, which require significant time and resources to navigate. Ciech Sarzyna asked for
risk assessment and import controls on (often cheaper and less safe) pesticide products
imported from outside the EU.
The Cabinet agreed that level playing field is fundamental to ensure the viable future for
the European industry and farming. The external dimension of the EU green ambition is
systematically raised by CAB Wojciechowski and is acknowledged by the Commission.
3. The role of European agrochemical industry and agriculture in a food security
perspective:
The stakeholder recalled that the European agrochemical industry and agriculture play a
crucial role in ensuring food security and weed control. While the agrochemical industry
invests heavily in R&D to develop new and innovative products that can help farmers
produce more food with fewer inputs - it must also invest in sustainable practices and
technologies to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture. Smaller and medium-
sized companies face several challenges in this regard. They must adapt to changing
environmental and complex regulatory conditions and face challenges related to access to
markets and distribution networks. The agrochemical industry and agriculture must also
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address issues related to supply chain resilience in Europe as the COVID-19 pandemic
highlighted the vulnerability of supply chains.
The Cabinet agreed that recently the issue of strategic autonomy features more prominently
on the agenda, which is a good opportunity for domestic production, including farming.
Long term sustainability remains our objective, innovation and knowledge will contribute
to reaching this goal.
The Cabinet thanked Ciech Sarzyna for their insights and advised to contact other cabinets
and services who deal more directly with the chemical sector.
Art 4,1(b) privacy
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