Anti-pesticide campaign launched

A group of environmental campaign organisations is trying to petition for legislation to phase out the use of pesticides in the EU by 2035.

Synthetic pesticides should be banned on EU farms, which should instead use natural methods to support biodiversity, the organisations said in a press release on 31 July. They are waiting to see if the European Commission will approve a European Citizens’ Initiative that would then seek public support for their proposals.

Friends of the Earth Europe, the Munich Environmental Institute, the Pesticide Action Network and the Aurelia Foundation are among those who submitted the request to the Commission, which has two months to respond.