EU member states on 8 February 2022 approved four bills on the management of microbial pesticides that will simplify the approval and authorisation process for microbial pesticides, provide farmers with more tools to replace and reduce their reliance on chemical pesticides, thereby achieving The EU's "Farm to Fork" and "Green Deal" strategic goals - halving the use of chemical pesticides by 2030.
The new bill reflects the latest scientific and technological developments and will be reviewed by the European Parliament and the Council. If there is no objection from the European Parliament and the Council, the new bill will be passed smoothly and is expected to come into force in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The use of microbial pesticides plays a key role in organic farming in the EU. Organic farming is an important part of EU agriculture. In 2019, there were nearly 330,000 organic farmers in the EU, accounting for up to 20% of the cultivated area in member states. In addition, one of the objectives of the "Farm to Fork" strategy is to increase organic farmland in the EU, where at least 25% of the EU's farmland will be used for organic farming by 2030. Microbial pesticide products are allowed to be used in EU organic agriculture.
The use of microbial pesticides is also a key element of the EU Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme. In the EU, farmers must prioritize preventive measures, monitoring and alternatives to biological pesticides (including microbe-based products) before using chemical pesticides. IPM also aims to control the use of pesticides and other forms of interventions to economically and ecologically sound levels. Other measures such as crop rotation, selection of appropriate cultivars and cultivation techniques can also be used.
There are more than 60 microbial pesticides approved in the EU, and their requirements for microbial pesticides are based on principles similar to those for chemical pesticides (Commision regulation(EU) No 283/2013 Part B (technical concentration) and Commision regulation(EU) No 284/2013 Part B (formulation)). The new rules take a different approach, based on the biology and ecology of each microorganism, whose biological characteristics will play a central role in risk assessment, taking into account the latest scientific and technological developments. Regulatory requirements for microorganisms have also become more applicable and flexible, implying a more simplified application profile and a more direct risk assessment. In addition, focusing only on relevant data also means reducing animal testing, because fewer animal experiments need to be performed.
Compared with the US microbial pesticide registration policy, the EU's microbial pesticide registration policy has been criticized by the industry for a long time. The new regulations will definitely speed up the access speed of microbial pesticides into the EU market.
