Commission adopts new rules to fastrack approval of biological pesticides

 The European Commission adopted new rules designed to increase the availability of and access to biological plant protection products on Wednesday (31 August) as part of efforts to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides.

The new rules, which were already endorsed by member states back in February and will now become effective as of November 2022, are designed to facilitate the approval of micro-organisms for use as active substances in plant protection products.

This way, the EU executive hopes to arm farmers with new sustainable tools to substitute chemical plant protection products. (...)