What is Omnibus all about?
APIMONDIA express serious concern regarding the European Commission’s proposal for a food and feed safety Omnibus. The proposal significantly weakens EU pesticide legislation and undermines the protection of human health, the environment, and food from hazardous pesticides.
The current pesticide framework, which is in force since 2011, is based on the precautionary principle and requires pesticides to be regularly reviewed in light of the latest scientific evidence. According to the Commission itself, this system has been effective and has led to the identification and banning of 54 harmful pesticide active substances since 2011, including substances with serious risks to human health, pollinators and the environment.
The Omnibus proposal reverses this logic. It risks allowing hazardous pesticides to remain on the market indefinitely, restricts the use of new science, and contradicts EU primary law, the Green Deal, and citizens’ demands for stronger protection.
Key problems with Omnibus proposal in brief
- Unlimited approval would become the norm; 49 synthetic substances could automatically receive unlimited approval, including broadly used and toxic substances such as glyphosate, acetamiprid and PFAS substances.
- National authorisations could last up to 15 years, with restricted act on new studies.
- After being found hazardous, substances could even remain on the market for up to three additional .
- Derogations could be justified not only by plant health, but also by plant production (yield concerns).
- Synthetically produced substances could qualify for ‘biocontrol’ if deemed “functionally identical” to natural ones.
- Certain types of drones could be allowed to be used for pesticide application without individual derogations.
