Plant protection products

Amendment of the Plant Protection Products and Biocides Act in the Rules on protective measures against organisms harmful to plants (the Plant Health Act)

- Insertion of Article 20a:

A ban is included, which prevents crop cultivators established in the Netherlands from possessing or keeping in stock plant protection products authorised in the Netherlands for crops other than those they are currently growing.

In connection with this, a ban is included, which prevents distributors of plant protection products from supplying plant protection products authorised in the Netherlands to cultivators established in the Netherlands for crops that said cultivators are not currently growing.

This promotes compliance with Article 55 of Regulation (EC) 1107/2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market. This Article requires plant protection products to be used properly, and the Plant Protection Products and Biocides Act makes failure to meet this obligation from Regulation (EC) 1107/2009 punishable.

This ban offers the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority [NVWA] the option to take more effective action, and thus also to reduce the undesired side-effects of (illegal) use of plant protection products on humans, animals and the environment.

Proof of professional competence is required for persons that provide advice – professionally or as part of a commercial service – on combating harmful organisms and on the safe use of plant protection products.