Spain to amend rules on biocontrols‏

The Ministers Council of Spain approved a normative to regulate the Biological Control Organisms as well as traps and pheromones during the agricultural monitoring. The Ministry sought a decree on the matter. The proposal establishes requirements, registrations procedures, permissions, release and conditions of commercialization of these products. 

 

"We are improving the procedures management and the transparency level of this market, increasing the information gave to farmers. Due to the existence of a wide range of products that are out of the new norms at this moment, the Ministry established a transitional provision of Royal Decree for the gradual exclusion of these items," reads the Ministry's official statement. According to the Ministry, these periods will allow the "companies that sell these products to start the relevant arrangements to adapt to the exisiting regulatory framework for pesticides or fertilisers, or adapt in a progressive way to the new regulation."

 

The directorate plans to introduce a software application allowing public consultation, informing suppliers and growers of what products are on the market, while improving co-ordination in the management of official files. 

 

According to the experts, the normative and its complementary actions involve firm commitment to induce "sustainability criteria in agricultural production. The goal is to guarantee a 'confidence' position in the European and international markets , and offers higher quality and safer products for consumers".