In agriculture there are several products that aim to obtain good yields, are included in this set substances as pesticides, whose use always involves some risk to the environment surroundings.
Despite all efforts to limit the risks associated with pesticide use, there are still unwanted quantities of these substances in different environmental compartments, particularly in soil and water. Often these wastes even exceed the regulatory limits for agricultural products.
Currently, the regulatory framework concerning pesticides focuses only on its marketing and end life cycle of these products. Most matters relating to pesticide regulations is included in other areas of law (Directives 2000/60/EC and 2006/118/EC, for example, concerning the protection of water). The European Union (EU) recently recognized the need to fill this legislative gap. Well understood, it was also necessary to regulate the use of the pesticide itself, and significantly strengthen the research and development of substances less hazardous alternatives.
The EU adopted a package of measures to reduce the risks of using pesticides to the environment and to humans, pointing to a more sustainable use of pesticides and a significant reduction of risks inherent to the use of this products without any loss of income from users.
The thematic strategy on sustainable use of pesticides, included in 6 Action Programme on the Environment , will thus propose measures to reduce the effects of these substances on human health and the environment, ensuring necessary crop protection.
This thematic strategy includes the following objectives:
· Minimising the hazards and risks of pesticides to human health and the environment ;
· ; Improving control the use and distribution of pesticides;
· Reduced levels of harmful substances, including the substitution of the most dangerous with safer ones;
· Encouraging the use of crops that do not require or require only small amounts of pesticides;
· Establishing a transparent system for reporting and monitoring progress of implementing the new standards.
The discussion of this strategy culminated in the presentation to Parliament a proposal for a Directive (COM (2006) 373) which provides a framework for Community action to achieve sustainable use of pesticides.
For more information on this subject:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ppps/home.htm (Strategy Focus)
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/pt/com/2006/com2006_0373pt01.pdf (Proposal for a Directive)
Text by: Rui Pucarinho