European Union set to ban ‘bee-harming’ neonicotinoid pesticides

The European Union (EU) is set to impose a temporary ban on the use of certain ‘bee-harming’ agricultural pesticides that are blamed for dramatically declining bee populations worldwide.

Bee populations are believed to be responsible for pollinating about one-third of the global crop production.

The proposal restricts the use of three neonicotinoids pesticides – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiametoxam – on flowering crops that bees feed upon, including sunflowers, oilseed rape and corn.

However, the pesticides could be used to treat bee-attractive crops in greenhouses, in open-air fields, only after flowering.

This decision is based on the scientific findings of a study into the risks associated with the use of the three pesticides on bee health.

The study, which was published in January this year, was conducted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), following the request of the European Commission (EC).

On 15 March, experts representing 27 EU member states gathered in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health; however, they failed to reach a final decision on the proposal to restrict the use of the three neonicotinoids.

The proposal was then brought up to the appeal committee on 29 April, and now the EC, the EU’s executive arm, will decide on the adoption of the proposed restriction.

If approved by the EC, the restrictions will come into effect from 1 December 2013 for two years.

EC Health and Consumer Commissioner Tonio Borg said that the Commission will publish a final decision in the coming weeks.

"I pledge to do my utmost to ensure that our bees, which are so vital to our ecosystem and contribute over €22bn annually to European agriculture, are protected," Borg added.

The EC stated that as soon as new scientific and technical evidence emerges, it will review the conditions for approval of the three neonicotinoids.

According to the UK government, which is among eight countries that opposed the ban, the scientific evidence behind the proposal is incomplete and the ban will negatively impact agricultural production.

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Image: The new EU proposal restricts the use of three neonicotinoids pesticides – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiametoxam – on flowering crops that bees feed upon. Photo courtesy of Piotr Ciuchta.