How do I commercially withdraw a product?
If you wish to withdraw your product from the market for a commercial reason you should contact us so that your authorisation can be formally revoked, although you are no under obligation to do so. We do not charge a fee for carrying out this procedure.
You should write to the Registration Branch Applications Sift applications@hse.gsi.gov.uk with details of the product you wish to have revoked, state your reasons for withdrawing the authorisation and the revocation period you require (further information on revocation periods can be found in the guidance document on the revocations of approvals). The options for the revocation periods are:
- If you have never marketed the product, we will revoke the authorisation with immediate effect
- If you marketed the product some time ago but no stocks remain in the supply chain, we will revoke the authorisation with immediate effect.
- If you have ceased marketing the product but some stocks remain in the supply chain, we will ‘part-revoke’ the authorisation, allowing the stocks in the supply chain to be used up (normally for a period of 12 months).
- If you wish to continue to market the authorisation for a time and then withdraw it, we will specify the appropriate revocation deadlines on the authorisation, allowing for use of the stocks in the supply chain. We would not allow an authorisation to continue past any data submission deadline for the product.
How do I commercially withdraw an authorised use?
If you wish to withdraw a use from the label of your authorised product you will need to submit an application for the commercial withdrawal of this use as a new authorisation will need to be issued for the product. In your application you must state why you wish the use to be revoked.
Where the amendment to the authorisation is considered to be of a minor nature and no technical consideration is required, then your application can be processed via the ‘Admin’ Stream (see the guidance document on application streams and targets for further information). The use will be deleted from your new authorisation and a label amendment will be issued to delete all references to the withdrawn use.
If your request for withdrawal is more complex, and may potentially involve the checking of your product label, we will conduct a more detailed evaluation which may be considered via the ‘No-Data’ Stream.
The types of revocation that may be given for your product’s approved use are detailed above.
Authorisation holders are not required to make an application to CRD to remove an approved use from the product label but have the option of doing so. Authorisation holders should note that the position regarding liability for the consequences of product failure set out in the Consumer Protection Act 1987 continue to apply. Unless a use is formally withdrawn by means of an application to alter the statutory conditions, the authorisation holder remains liable for any crop damage which may arise so long as the product has been used in accordance with the authorised conditions of use (including during the period of any phased revocation). This applies regardless of whether the use appears on the label. Authorisation holders may wish to consider this when removing a use permanently from the label.
