In particular the implementation of the requirements set out under Directive 2009/128/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, and to identify the main obstacles or difficulties encountered in the implementation of this Directive, as well as good practices.
Germany’s National Action Plan is the most recent manifestation of a thirty year project to reduce the risks associated with pesticides, through promoting their sustainable use to protect plants and plant products. Through a range of actions including equipment testing and training, the risks associated with pesticides had already been considerably reduced prior to the introduction of European Union legislation in this area.
The current National Action Plan sets clear targets and timelines to further reduce the risksand impacts of pesticides, and to provide growers with the tools necessary to produce highquality, safe food. Considerable progress has been made under the current NAP, most notably, the continued reduction in the environmental risks associated with pesticides. The first formal overall review of the plan will be in 2018. The Competent Authorities have identified financial constraints limiting the effectiveness of public advisory services as an emerging risk to the sustainable use of pesticides.
The report highlights a number of good practices identified in the course of the mission, such as the publicly funded advisory services. The very high compliance rates throughout the pesticide marketing and use chain, and the successes in delivering tangible risk reduction, demonstrates that the overall German approach to the sustainable use of pesticides has
achieved significant reduction in the risks associated with these products. Nevertheless, in the absence of effective and economically viable alternative controls to combat harmful organisms, the production of field crops in Germany continues to depend on pesticides.
Source: Executive Summary in:
ec.europa.eu/food/audits-analysis/audit_reports/details.cfm?rep_inspection_ref=2017-6013