Viewpoint on paraquat withdrawal in Europe

The main manufacturer of paraquat, Syngenta, comments on the status of paraquat in the EU:

In December 2003, following a detailed review and the scientific recommendation of the relevant EU committees, the Commission adopted Directive 2003/112/EC, which included paraquat in Annex I (“EU registration of paraquat”, to be found here in all languages).

In February 2004, however, Sweden initiated legal action before the European Court in Luxembourg requesting that the Court declare Directive 2003/112/EC null and void. Sweden was later supported in this legal action by Denmark, Finland and Austria. On 11 July 2007, the Court of First Instance of the European Communities (CFI) decided in favour of Sweden and its allies and annulled Directive 2003/112/EC (ie declared it null and void). The judgment became effective on 27 September 2007 after a short appeal period and led to an unprecedented legal situation.

Neither the European Commission nor an EU member state appealed against the CFI judgment. Syngenta was not involved in the legal action taken by Sweden and was, therefore, unable to appeal.

As the Directive that included paraquat in Annex I to Directive 91/414 was void, paraquat was no longer in Annex I. In addition, the transitional measures, put in place to enable the continued sale of products containing existing substances during their review according to 91/414/EEC (stage 1), which also covered paraquat, had expired on 31 December 2006. As a consequence, with paraquat not included in Annex I, EU Member States were no longer allowed to authorise the sale of paraquat products – therefore, they had to withdraw or suspend registrations.

In conclusion, the CFI judgment can in no way be regarded as a decision banning the use of paraquat in the EU following a scientific assessment in accordance with the applicable Community rules. It merely annuls the Commission Directive authorising paraquat as a result of various defects in the Commission’s management of the review.

Syngenta communicated in February 2009 that it would not pursue a re-submission for the registration of paraquat in the EU at this time. The decision was based on commercial rationale and in consideration of the uncertainty caused by the forthcoming revision of the EU Registration Directive 91/414/EEC.

This decision regarding paraquat in EU in no way affects Syngenta’s commitment to maintain and support its registrations worldwide.

Paraquat is an important tool in agriculture. Farmers benefit from using paraquat because of its unique qualities, which include fast contact action and rapid deactivation in the soil. Paraquat also helps combat soil erosionDescription Displacement of solids (soil, mud, rock and other particles) usually by the agents of currents such as, wind, water, or ice by downward or down-slope movement. Authoritative On-line References and Resources http://soilerosion.net/ This site brings together reliable information on soil erosion from a wide range of disciplines and sources. It aims to be the definitive internet source for those wishing to find out more about soil loss and soil conservation., by preserving weed roots which bind the soil. It is widely used in minimum tillageDescription Least possible soil disturbance for preparing a seedbed by reducing cultivation and avoiding the use of a plow. It can involve direct drilling, broadcasting into existing stubbles or adopting a strategy of reduced tillage. The main benefits are to reduce tillage energy consumption, to conserve moisture and soil structure, to reduce disturbance of soil organisms and to retain plant cover to minimize erosion. Authoritative On-line References and Resources http://www.ecaf.org/ The European Conservation Agriculture Federation promotes best soil management practices based on minimnal soil disturbance by reduced tillage. agriculture which is more favorable for the absorption of carbon dioxide than traditional cultivation.

Paraquat improves peoples' lives in developing countries by enabling farmers and their families to escape the constant requirement for hand weeding, which is a burden for millions of people in subsistence farming and underdeveloped rural communities.

Syngenta has comprehensive data that demonstrate the safety of paraquat for users, consumers and the environment. The company is committed to promoting the safe use of all its products, including paraquat, through extensive stewardshipDescription The responsible and ethical management of a crop protection product in a way that takes full and balanced account of the interests of users, future generations, and other species. Authoritative On-line References and Resources http://www.croplife.org/ CropLife International is a global federation representing the plant science industry and a network of regional and national associations in 91 countries. These organisations are committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology in the areas of crop protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and plant biotechnology. and training.  In 2008, these programs reached more than 3.4 million farmers worldwide.