EU pesticides tests 'biased and manipulated'

More than 90% of EU methods of risk assessment for pesticides were designed or promoted by the chemical industry, an NGO has claimed.

All but one of the 12 pesticide risk assessment methods studied by the Pesticides Action Network Europe (PAN) were favoured or developed by chemical sector organisations, the group said.

According to PAN, three-quarters of the methods were designed by one global lobby group which had its own experts appointed to the regulatory panels of the EU Food Safety Authority (EFSA). PAN accused EFSA of maintaining a “failing conflict of interest policy”.