The European Community ( EC) Pesticides Review and Essential Uses
The EC review programme is resulting in the withdrawal of many older substances that are not being supported for commercial as well as safety reasons. This loss of active substances particularly affects minor crops and uses. Against this background the Commission has made provision for certain 'essential uses' to be temporarily maintained. This would provide the opportunity for alternatives to be developed.
All published essential uses to date EC-wide can be found in the following:
- 20 November 2002 Commission Regulation 2076/2002 (pdf, 17 pages) - non-inclusion of some stage 2 and 3 substances due to lack of support. Various essential uses granted. UK essential uses granted for 2-aminobutane, azaconazole, cyanazine, fenpropathrin, fenuron, fomesafen, metoxuron, oxycarboxin, pentanochlor, prometryn, resmethrin, sodium monochloroacetate, tar acids, terbutryn.
- 18 March 2003 Commission Decision 2003/199 (pdf, 4 pages) - non-inclusion of aldicarb, UK essential uses granted.
- 30 January 2004 Commission Decision 2004/129 (pdf, 5 pages) - non-inclusion of some stage 4 substances due to lack of support. Various essential uses granted (not UK).
- 11 February 2004 Commission Decision 2004/140 (pdf, 3 pages) - non-inclusion of fenthion, essential uses granted (not UK).
- 12 February 2004 Commission Decision 2004/141 (pdf, 3 pages) - non-inclusion of amitraz, UK essential uses granted.
- 10 March 2004 Commission Decision 2004/247 (pdf, 5 pages) - non-inclusion of simazine, UK essential uses granted.
- 10 March 2004 Commission Decision 2004/248 (pdf, 5 pages) - non-inclusion of atrazine, UK essential uses granted.
- 23 April 2004 Commission Regulation 771/2004 (pdf, 4 pages) - phase out periods extended for accession of Hungary.
- 28 April 2004 Commission Regulation 835/2004 (pdf, 5 pages) - phase out periods extended for accession of new Member States.
- 13 October 2004 Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1765/2004 - essential uses for France for 4-CPA.
- 31 March 2005 Commission Decision 2005/303 (pdf, 3 pages) - non-inclusion of several active substances, essential uses granted in UK for dichlorophen.
- 12 August 2005 Commission Regulation 1335/2005 (pdf, 5 pages) - amends Regulation (EC) No. 2076/2002 and Decisions 2002/298/EC (benomyl), 2004/129/EC (various active substances), 2004/140 (fenthion), 2004/247/EC (simazine) and 2005/303/EC (dichlorophen).
- 2 December 2005 Commission Decision 2005/864 (pdf, 4 pages) - non-inclusion of endosulfan, essential uses granted (not UK).
- 25 April 2006 Commission Decision 2006/302 (pdf, 3 pages) - non-inclusion of methabenzthiazuron, essential uses granted (not UK).
- 20 December 2006 Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1980/2006 (pdf, 3 pages) - phase out periods extended for accession of Bulgaria.
- 22 December 2006 Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2024/2006 (pdf, 2 pages) - phase out periods extended for accession of Romania.
- 21 June 2007 Commission Decision 2007/442/EC (pdf, 8 pages) - further non-inclusions of stage 4 substances with essential uses. UK interest - non-inclusion of formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide with UK essential uses and peroxyacetic (peracetic) acid with UK essential uses.
- 9 October 2007 draft Decision (SANCO 2060/2007) (word , 8 pages) - non-inclusion of 3 substances. UK interest - rotenone with UK essential uses.
EC Review Programme
Stage 1
Under the first stage of the review some active substances are being withdrawn because they have not been included on Annex I. See The Commission website - existing active decision Directives and review reports. For latest news of discussions on essential uses for other active substances in stage 1 see Latest News on Essential Uses.
Stages 2, 3 and 4
On 4 July the Standing Committee meeting in Brussels agreed a consolidated text for Commission Regulation 2076/2002 (pdf). This includes the following new essential uses for the UK: metoxuron/parsnips; pentanochlor/ornamentals; and tar acids/disinfectant use.
The full list of essential uses for the UK is given in the attached.
Notices issued to revoke UK products containing active substances unsupported in stages 2 and 3 of the EC review programme.The following essential uses continue to be permissible under new SOLAs (for edible crops) or the (Long Term Arrangements for Extension of Use ( LTAEU) for non-edible crops:
- cyanazine on leek and narcissi
- fomesafen on runner bean
- metoxuron on parsnip
- pentanochlor on herbs and ornamental (other)
- prometryn on parsnip and herbs
- sodium monochloroacetate on collard
- terbacil on herbs
- terbutryn on lupin.
No other uses are permitted under the Long Term Arrangements.
Non-edible uses that are allowed to continue under the LTAEU may be specified on the label using the following standard statement: "This product must not be used on any other crops to those listed, including any extrapolations that would normally be permissible under the Long Term Arrangements for Extension of Use. Essential use on [crop] continues to be permissible under the Long Term Arrangements for Extension of Use (LTAEU)."
Annex II to Decision 2004/129 lists essential use derogations for seven active substances unsupported in stage 4. PSD did not submit essential use bids for any of the unsupported active substances in this stage of the review.
Products with Essential Uses
Details of all PSD approved pesticide products with on-label essential uses and notification of off-label essential uses where applicable.
