AgroPages-EU rejected Germany’s proposal to refuse authorization of IPBC products-Agricultural news

The European Commission has decided to reject the proposal notified by Germany to refuse or restrict the authorization of wood preservative products containing IPBC (3-iodo-2-propynyl-butyl-carbamate), according to documents 32014D0756，32014D0757，32014D0758 released by European Commission at the end of October 2014. The products refused by Germany are the combined product containing propiconazole, IPBC and tebuconazole, from Arch Timber Protection Ltd; combined products containing IPBC and propiconazole, from Janssen PMP and an IPBC-based product from ISP Cologne Holding.

These products have been approved by UK and Denmark a few years ago. The applicants then submitted applications successively to Germany for mutual recognition of the authorization of these products which granted by the other member states. Germany notified the Commission, the other Member States and the applicant that these products do not meet the requirements of Article 5(1) of Directive 98/8/EC with regard to human health or the environment.

Although proposal is rejected, the Commission has agreed that the intended use described in the product authorization shall be amended. For example, when the products used for automated dipping, the labels of the products should contain the following instruction: Product must only be used in fully automated dipping processes where all steps in the treatment and drying process are mechanized and no manual handling takes place, including when the treated articles are transported through the dip tank to the draining/drying and storage (if not already surface dry before moving to storage).