Pesticides regulator must fill gaps in checks, Commission told

Ombudsman tells Commission its approval of certain pesticide uses was ‘problematic’

The European Commission has taken on more responsibility than it should have when approving uses of pesticides without sufficient evidence from the relevant regulator that the uses are safe, and in future should ask the regulator for more information, the European Ombudsman has said.

“Where the Commission intends to approve a substance based on a use that [the European Food Safety Authority] has not been in a position to review, it should consult Efsa on the matter,” the ombudsman Emily O’Reilly said in a decision published on 30 November.