The European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) has adopted a proposed regulation to reduce the use of pesticides in the EU by 50% by 2030.
The proposal would see member states reduce the use and risk of chemical plant protection products by at least 50% and the use of "more hazardous" products by 65%.
The proposed regulation would also ban the use of chemical pesticides within five metres of sensitive areas such as parks, playgrounds, recreation areas and public paths.
The definition of pesticide used by the Committee is something that prevents, destroys or controls a harmful organism or disease, or protects plants or plant products during production, storage and transport.
Pesticides include herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, rodenticides and biocides.
The proposal as adopted will now go for a vote at a full plenary session of the European Parliament on the 23-24 November.
At that point, amendments pushing the deadline for the 50% reduction out to 2035 may be proposed.
If, as expected, the overall proposal is adopted, a process of negotiations with the European Council, the Commission and the European Parliament will get underway to finalise the regulation and its implementation.
It is not expected to come into force before European Parliament elections next year.
An EU regulation differs from an EU Directive. Regulations must be implemented as laid down by the EU, whereas it is up to EU member states to decide how they will implement directives.
Unnecessary packaging proposal
The ENVI Committee also supported a proposed regulation designed to reduce unnecessary packaging in the EU.
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation proposes a suite of measures to significantly reduce the amount of packaging waste generated in the EU, while at the same time making packaging more sustainable and improving waste management.
Among the approved measures are new reuse targets for key sectors like beverages, requirements for brands to use as little packaging as necessary, and restrictions on some unnecessary single-use packaging, for example on fruit and vegetables under 1kg.
All packaging placed on the EU market will have to be recyclable, while new recycled content targets for plastic packaging will provide a regulatory boost to ensure plastic becomes more circular and lowers the pressure that packaging places on resources.
The proposed regulation also goes to the plenary meeting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg next month.
