Neonicotinoid Ban

A European Commission proposal for a partial ban on neonicotinoid insecticides on certain crops attractive to bees did not gain a majority vote in March (see last month’s Bulletin).  However, a second vote that took place at the end of April did vote to ban their use.  The 2-year ban will be implemented from 1^st December 2013.  The vote did not achieve a qualified majority in either direction, so theCommission has the opportunity to decide on policy.  As the Commission initially proposed to implement the ban, based on its own European Food Safety Association (EFSA) report, it will more than likely be implemented.  The whole neonicotinoid story came to the forefront at the beginning of the year after two reports on the subject were published surrounding the pesticides. 

Prior to the EU ban, Waitrose had already taken steps to prevent its suppliers from using neonicotinoids.  As part of a ‘Seven Point Plan for Pollination’ those supplying the supermarket with fruit, vegetables and flowers will have to stop using the seed treatments imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam by the end of 2014 at the latest.  This will then be rolled out to commodity crops on the Waitrose farm at Leckford in Hampshire and to other areas of the arable sector which supply Waitrose ‘as soon as practicable’.  The supermarket has said this is a precautionary approach and will remain in place until it is proven whether or not the pesticides are damaging bee health.