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Today, the Commission has published the first results of two Harmonised risk indicators (HRI) established by the Commission under the Directive on the Sustainable Use of pesticides. They show that the risks associated with pesticides (plant protection products) have declined since the entry into force of the Directive in 2011. In particular, Harmonised risk indicator I, which estimates the risks associated with the plant protection products sold, and therefore used, in the EU, shows a reduction of 20% between 2011 and 2017.
Nevertheless, a second HRI, based on the number of emergency authorisations granted by Member States (for up to 120 days, for limited and controlled use, to contain a pest which cannot be contained by any other reasonable means) shows a 50% increase in the same period. While the trend for the first indicator is very encouraging, the results for the second indicator demonstrate the need for Member States to expand the range of regularly authorised plant protection products available to growers, and to broaden the range of techniques to control pests, so as to reduce dependency on plant protection products. These indicators were calculated using three sources of information - data on the sales of plant protection products and data on the number of emergency authorisations, and weightings designed to reflect the properties of active substances used in plant protection products. For example, the most hazardous active substances are assigned a higher weighting, while low-risk active substances are assigned a lower weighting. A second report on the sustainable use of pesticides in the EU is due for early 2020. It will provide a more detailed overview of the state of implementation of the Directive by Member States, and the progress made since the last report in 2017.
