Praise and criticism of the proposal to adopt EU plant protection legislation
Published: Wednesday, Dec 11th 2024, 10:40
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Proposals by a National Council committee to adopt EU plant protection product authorizations in Switzerland in principle have met with a mixed response in the consultation process. The legislative project has met with both approval and vehement rejection.
The SVP, the Center Party, the FDP, the business association Scienceindustries and the cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Schwyz have all said yes in principle to the amendment of the Agriculture Act in line with the proposal. This is clear from their statements. The consultation ended on Monday.
The SP, the Greens, the nature and environmental organizations united in the Environmental Alliance and the Association of Swiss Wastewater and Water Protection Experts (VSA) are saying no.
Neighboring countries plus Belgium/Netherlands
The proposal by the National Council's Economic Affairs Committee (WAK-N) provides for plant protection products that can be used in certain European countries to be approved more quickly in Switzerland than is currently the case. The simplifications would apply to products that are approved in one of Switzerland's EU neighbors as well as in the Netherlands or Belgium.
In such cases, Switzerland should automatically adopt the approval of the active substances by the EU as a basis. However, the products would have to be checked in terms of water protection. The authorities must also clarify whether special Swiss provisions for the protection of humans, animals and the environment are complied with.
The WAK-N also wants to stipulate that the procedures must be completed within twelve months. It is becoming increasingly difficult for agriculture to combat new types of pests and increasing resistance with suitable means, it says in justification of the bill.
Their proposal is based on a motion by Philipp Matthias Bregy, a centrist member of the Valais National Council, which was adopted by the Federal Assembly.
Long waiting list for protective equipment
For Bregy's party, the center, faster approval procedures are necessary in this area. Today, the procedures are lengthy, complicated and time-consuming. "Switzerland does not need to go through the entire approval procedure again itself," the FDP Switzerland also believes.
The SVP writes that in the last 20 years, the competent authorities have banned around twice as many plant protection products as new ones have been approved. Last year, more than 700 products were awaiting approval.
The Science Industry Association speaks of an important step towards adapting the assessment of authorization applications to the legal framework of agreements already in force with the EU. This association represents the chemical, pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors.
Switzerland will become a "pesticide hotspot", says SP
The application of the proposal could result in more products being approved in Switzerland than in the individual EU countries: This is what the Greens say. This is because the same products are not approved in all of the six countries covered by the proposal.
The SP writes that the draft amendment would turn Switzerland into "the pesticide hotspot of Europe", in which more active substances and plant protection products would be permitted than in any EU member state. This is also the view of the Environmental Alliance. It also says that there are simply too few staff in the approval offices in Switzerland.
Instead of tackling the problem that many groundwater sources in Switzerland are contaminated with pesticides and their degradation products, the proposal creates "further risks to human health, water bodies and biodiversity". This is what the VSA says. Higher costs for the replacement and remediation of contaminated drinking water wells are to be expected.
©Keystone/SDA
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