Fungicides

(asked on 1st April 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to ban chlorothalonil following the EU's decision to do so.


Answered by
Robert Goodwill Portrait
Robert Goodwill
This question was answered on 4th April 2019

The European Commission Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (pesticides legislation and residues) voted not to renew approval of chlorothalonil on 22 March. The Commission is now expected to adopt this proposal. Once the text is published, it will come into force after 20 days.

When we leave the EU, the UK will retain the list of EU-approved pesticides in UK law as it stands at the point of departure (or at the end of the Implementation Period, if this applies).

If we leave the EU without a deal and the EU decision on chlorothalonil is not in force at the point of leaving the EU, then the UK will make its own decision on this approval. We have made clear that we will not weaken standards. Decisions on the use of pesticides will continue to be based on a careful scientific assessment of the risks, and we would legally apply the same principles established under the EU regulation. Responsibility is shared between Defra and the Devolved Administrations. This would be based on a recommendation from our national regulator, the Health and Safety Executive, and additional independent advice and assurance from the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides.

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