AgroPages-EU phases out fungicide thiram-Agricultural news

Further to the vote on 12 July 2018 by the Appeal Committee on the non-renewal of the approval of the fungicide thiram, on 9 October 2018 the European Commission adopted the corresponding official act: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) [2018/1500] of 9 October 2018 concerning the non-renewal of approval of active substance thiram.

Besides, taking into account the risk identified for birds and wild mammals from treated seeds, the placing on the market and the use of seeds treated with thiram will be prohibited. The prohibition will apply as of 31 January 2020 in order to allow for a sufficient period of transition for the seed supply chain taking into account the limited availability of seeds that are not treated with products containing thiram.

Member States was requested to withdraw authorisations for plant protection products containing thiram as active substance by 30 January 2019 at the latest.

Grace period will, at the latest, expire on 30 April 2019 for products used for foliar application and on 30 January 2020 for other products, including those used for seed treatment.

The extended expiry date of thiram to 30 April 2019 aims at allowing the renewal process to be completed before the expiry of the approval of that substance. However, given that a decision is taken ahead of that extended expiry date, this Regulation will apply as soon as possible.

This act was published on 10 October 2018 in the European Union Official Journal. The Commission Implementing Regulation will enter into force 20 days after the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The U.S. company Eastman comments on this decision that: “We still believe in the science supporting the safe use of thiram for its intended uses under good agricultural practices. Therefore, Eastman will now consider all of the options to maintain the availability of thiram for the farmers.”