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Parliamentary question - E-000231/2018(ASW)Parliamentary question
E-000231/2018(ASW)
European Parliament

Answer given by Mr Andriukaitis on behalf of the Commission

30.5.2018

Written question

In 2013, the use of the three neonicotinoids referred to by the Honourable Member was restricted[1] due to newly identified risks to bees. The regulation required the applicants to submit confirmatory data for the uses still allowed. The evaluation of these data identified new risks to bees. Therefore, the Commission proposed in 2017 to further restrict their use to permanent greenhouses only.

The regulation also foresaw a general review of new scientific data related to risks to bees from the three neonicotinoids. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its reports on this review on 28 February 2018[2]. They confirmed the already identified risks to bees for outdoor uses.

On 27 April 2018, Member States represented in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed voted in favour of the Commission's draft Regulations to further restrict the uses of the three neonicotinoids to permanent greenhouses only. The Commission will adopt the regulations in the coming weeks.

The use of imidacloprid as a veterinary medicine is restricted to pets (mainly dogs and cats) and subject to special precautions. Therefore, only very limited emissions to water are expected from that use.

Imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, acetamiprid and thiacloprid, are included in the surface water watch list under the Water Framework Directive[3]. The aim of this list is to gather sufficient, high-quality monitoring data to confirm whether these substances pose a significant risk at European Union level, to or via the aquatic environment. The Commission is assessing the quality of the data collected during the first year of monitoring. A decision on the update of the watch list has not yet been taken.

Last updated: 31 May 2018
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