The European Crop Protection Agency (ECPA) has called for the European Council to undertake a full impact assessment of the new legislation introduced this month, which could see many pesticides banned across the bloc.
The ECPA has argued that the banning of certain pesticides has been done based on a substances potential impact rather than a realistic assessment of the threat that it may carry - and that this will severely hamper crop production in Europe.
'It is barely conceivable that our policymakers have adopted this position without conducting a thorough assessment of the legislation's impacts - but this is the case,' said Friedhelm Schmider, ECPA's director general, in a statement.
'Pesticide technology is an essential part of modern agriculture, playing a crucial role in producing enough safe, affordable food,' he noted. 'The 'cut-off' criteria proposed in the common position will effectively ban many of the tools farmers rely on today to fight crop diseases and pests. With huge pressure on agricultural productivity and food prices at an all time high, pushing through such legislation without thoroughly understanding all of the consequences for the food supply chain and the cost of living verges on negligent.'
Mr Schmider added that the European Union needed to retain modern technology, including advanced pesticides, in order to remain competitive and produce high quality crops.
The European Council has moved to introduce the new legislation so as to enhance food safety and remove pesticides considered to be dangerous to human health.
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