AgroPages-EU Commission confirms non-renewal decision on chlorpropham-Agricultural news

A decision by the European Commission has shown that from 1st January 2020 the germ inhibitor and herbicide chlorpropham is no longer permitted. The European Potato Processors Association (EUPPA) has reported this to its members.

The EU Commission has published its Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/989 concerning the non-renewal of approval of the active substance chlorpropham.

Based on the Regulation, CIPC authorisation has not been renewed. Member States should withdraw authorisations for plant protection products containing chlorpropham as an active substance by 8 January 2020.

Embargo was around the corner

The sector already acknowledged that the situation was precarious for the substance. It is not easy to find alternatives, though. The big problem is for existing potato storage sites. CIPC gets into the (wooden) frames of the boxes, so that residues can still be found long after the ban. For this reason, CIPC is no longer applied in most new storage locations.

A solution is being sought throughout Europe. The embargo on CIPC has been an issue in the UK for much longer. Romain Cools, secretary of Belgapom, previously called the lack of CIPC a threat to the sector.

The new Regulation further states that any grace period granted by Member States in accordance with Article 46 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 shall be as short as possible and shall expire by 8 October 2020 at the latest.