EU trends in the use and risk of chemical pesticides (Indicator)

Key message: The use and risk of chemical pesticides in the EU fell by 33% by 2021 compared to the baseline average for 2015 to 2017.

Use and risk of chemical pesticides in the EU-27, 2011-2021

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The European Commission has developed this indicator on chemical pesticide use and risk to track progress towards the targets on pesticide reduction set by the Zero Pollution Action Plan, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Farm to Fork Strategy. However, this indicator has certain limitations as it does not quantify the risk posed by pesticides with scientifically-based evidence of harm.

According to the indicator, the use and risk of chemical pesticides in the EU has decreased by 33% compared to the baseline average for 2015 to 2017.

The current Directive on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides may have contributed to the downward trend in the indicator, although the implementation and enforcement of its provisions have been uneven across Member States.

One of the key factors that can explain the downward trend is the categorisation of the pesticide active substances into defined groups, which carry different risk weighting factors in the indicator and the regulatory risk management measures undertaken by Member States’ competent authorities (e.g. approval for use, use conditions).

It is important to underline that the overall volume of active substances used in pesticides has increased since 2011. The decrease measured by the use and risk indicator has not yet led to improved environmental quality.

Please consult the relevant indicators and signals below for a more comprehensive overview on the topic.

The indicator is calculated based on the annual sales of chemical active substances and their respective hazard properties. As set out by the EU’s Implementing Regulation (EC) 540/2011active substances are categorised into four groups:

1. approved low-risk active substances listed in Part D of the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 540/2011;

2. approved substances that are not low-risk substances or candidates for substitution;

3. approved substances that are candidates for substitution in accordance with Article 24 of Regulation (EC) 1107/2009 and listed in Part E of the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 540/2011, or listed in the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/408;

4. unapproved substances sold due to emergency authorisations and/or placed on the market as existing stocks during grace periods following a non-renewal of a prior approval.

Each group is assigned a weighting factor of 1, 8, 16 and 64 respectively. This weighting factor is applied to annual sales. In cases where the approval of a substance is not extended, the baseline is adjusted by applying a weighting factor of 64 to the historical use of the substance prior to the non-extension.

The indicator is presented as an index relative to the average for 2015 to 2017.

The indicator is based on sales data collected by Eurostat under the Regulation on Pesticide Statistics.

References and footnotes

EC, 2021, COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Pathway to a Healthy Planet for All -  EU Action Plan: ‘Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil’, European Commission (https://ec.europa.eu/environment/pdf/zero-pollution-action-plan/communication_en.pdf) accessed 22 September 2022.
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EC, 2020, COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, European Commission (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:a3c806a6-9ab3-11ea-9d2d-01aa75ed71a1.0001.02/DOC_1&format=PDF) accessed 8 May 2023.
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EC, 2020, COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS - A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system, European Commission (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:ea0f9f73-9ab2-11ea-9d2d-01aa75ed71a1.0001.02/DOC_1&format=PDF) accessed 15 May 2023.
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EC, 2022, COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT Accompanying the document Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the sustainable use of plant protection products and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, European Commission.
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EEA, 2023, ‘How pesticides impact human health and ecosystems in Europe’, European Environment Agency (https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/how-pesticides-impact-human-health) accessed 11 September 2023).
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Eurostat, 2023, ‘Pesticide sales by categorisation of active substances’, Eurostat Data Browser (https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/aei_pestsal_rsk__custom_7868243/default/table?lang=en) accessed 31 October 2023.
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EU, 2011, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 of 25 May 2011 implementing Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the list of approved active substances Text with EEA relevance (OJ L 153, 11.6.2011, pp. 1-186).
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EU, 2009, Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing Council Directives 79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC (OJ L 309, 24.11.2009, p. 1–50).
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EU, 2015, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/408 of 11 March 2015 on implementing Article 80(7) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and establishing a list of candidates for substitution (Text with EEA relevance) (OJ L 67, 12.3.2015, pp. 18-22).
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EU, 2009b, Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 concerning statistics on pesticides (Text with EEA relevance) (OJ L 324, 10.12.2009, pp. 1-22).
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EU trends in the use and risk of chemical pesticides (Indicator)

Use and risk of chemical pesticides in the EU-27, 2011-2021

Relevant objectives under the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability

Other relevant indicators and signals

References and footnotes