Restrictions on neonicotinoid pesticides now in force in EU

摘要

A partial EU ban on three widely-used neonicotinoid pesticides came into force on December 1, with critics claiming there could be "serious consequences" for farming. The European Commission has imposed a two-year moratorium on the use of Bayer's imidacloprid and clothianidin and Syngenta's thiamethoxam on bee-attractive crops and plants, including maize, due to risks to bee health. The Commission decided on the ban in April, after its proposal was backed by a majority of member state governments, but not a 'qualified' majority.