The European Parliament adopted by 443 votes to 216, with 33 abstentions, a resolution objecting to the draft Commission implementing regulation amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 as regards the extension of the approval periods of the active substances benfluralin, dimoxystrobin, fluazinam, flutolanil, mancozeb, mecoprop-P, mepiquat, metiram, oxamyl and pyraclostrobin.

Parliament considered that the draft Commission implementing regulation exceeds the implementing powers provided for in Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 and that it does not respect the precautionary principle. It stated that the decision to extend the approval periods of dimoxystrobin and mancozeb is not in line with the safety criteria laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, and is based neither on evidence that those substances can safely be used, nor on a proven urgent need for them in food production in the Union.

In support of its objection, Parliament stated that mancozeb is very toxic to aquatic life and is suspected of damaging the human foetus and may cause allergic skin reactions. Exposure to mancozeb is also linked to an increase in the risk of Parkinson’s disease amongst farmers and other people in rural areas in the Netherlands and France.

Dimoxystrobin is considered as having endocrine-disrupting properties that may cause adverse effects in humans.

Members also considered it is unacceptable that a substance which is known to meet the cut-off criteria for active substances that are mutagenic, carcinogenic and/or toxic for reproduction or that have endocrine-disrupting properties, which are set to protect human and environmental health, continues to be allowed for use in the Union, putting public and environmental health at risk.

In view of these elements, Parliament called on the Commission to:

withdraw its draft implementing regulation and to submit a new draft to the Committee that takes into account the scientific evidence on the harmful properties of all the substances concerned, especially those of dimoxystrobin and mancozeb; present proposals for non-renewal of dimoxystrobin and mancozeb in the next meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed; present draft implementing regulations to extend the approval periods only of substances in relation to which the current state of science is not expected to lead to a Commission proposal for non-renewal of the approval of the active substance concerned; withdraw the approvals relating to substances, if proof or reasonable doubts exist that they will not meet the safety criteria laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.

Member States should ensure the proper and timely reassessment of the approvals of the active substances for which they are the reporting Member States, and to ensure that the current delays are solved effectively as soon as possible.