91997E2533

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2533/97 by Kirsten Jensen (PSE) to the Commission (24 July 1997)

Subject: Pesticides

Has the Commission recently adopted the uniform principles to be applied in the approval of pesticides?

How does the Commission ensure that all relevant data on an active substance have been submitted?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (12 September 1997)

The Commission presented a proposal concerning the uniform principles to the Council in June 1997 ((Proposal for a Council Directive establishing Annex VI to Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market, COM(97) 284 final. )). The proposal is now at an advanced stage of discussion in the Council.

The data requirements for the evaluation of active substances and plant protection products are laid down in Annex II and Annex III to Council Directive 91/414/EEC ((Council Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market, OJ L 230, 19.8.1991. )). These two Annexes list in detail the very exacting data requirements which notifiers must provide for the evaluation of an active substance. Furthermore, in Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3600/92 ((Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3600/92 laying down the detailed rules for the implementation of the first stage of the programme of work referred to in Article 8(2) of Council Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market,OJ L 366, 15.12.1992. )), which lists the first 90 active substances to be re-evaluated under a Community programme, a special provision in Article 4 allows interested parties to submit technical or scientific information with regard to the potentially dangerous effects of an active substance or its residues on human or animal health or on the environment.