top of page

PESTICIDES Roadmap for a pesticide phaseout

Jan 29

Beelife is pleased to take part in a collective effort with other 85 organizations, including environmental, health, and human rights groups, farm worker unions, and farmer organisations, in creating the "Roadmap for Pesticide Phase-Out" promoted by Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN Europe) addressed to EU policymakers. 

Pesticides harm biodiversity, pollute our environment, and jeopardise the health of all Europeans. Scientists, farmers and over one million citizens who supported the ECI Save Bees and Farmers, are still awaiting action from the Commission regarding the Pesticide phase-out. 

This Roadmap is a statement that outlines essential demands and actionable steps to reduce pesticide use and risk across Europe, prioritising human health, environmental protection and a fair future for farmers. A call for the European Commission to integrate these demands into the upcoming EU Vision for Agriculture and Food, and a reminder of the Farm to Fork Strategy and post-2020 Global Biodiversity targets.

Fact & Figures

The Roadmap quote: “Biodiversity is collapsing at an unprecedented rate. Europe has seen a 60% decline in farmland bird populations and at least 70% decline in insect populations, including pollinating insects and pest predators, while over 75% of the insect biomass disappeared from protected areas in 27 years. Pesticides are a major driver of this decline, provoking cascading effects with potentially severe consequences to food production in the medium to long run. “

Although the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive (SUD) was introduced in 2009, pesticide sales and use in Europe have not decreased. Since then, the European Commission committed, as part of the Green Deal and Farm to Fork Strategy, to reduce the overall use and risk of chemical pesticides by 50% and to cut the use of the most hazardous pesticides by 2030. However, the key policy to achieve these goals - the Sustainable Use Regulation (SUR) - was abandoned in February 2024. 


Essential Roadmap Steps

Studies demonstrate that it is possible to feed Europe while reducing pesticide dependency; many farmers wish to reduce it.

To make this goal reachable, it’s necessary to identify key points and needs:

  • full implementation of the Sustainable Use Directive 2009/128/EC and Pesticide Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, avoiding the significant deficiencies that can be currently observed.

  • necessary indicators need to be developed, and pesticide use data should be consistently collected, publicly available, and easily accessible.

  • The EU must ensure that farmers and farm workers are adequately supported in transitioning from harmful pesticides.


Links and references We invite you to discover more about the Roadmap on the following links.


CONTACT US

For details on our projects, sponsorships, and collaborations

bottom of page