Agency 'lacks knowledge' on pesticide issue

Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe has questioned the competence of the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) as the EU agency released reports into 'emergency' exemptions to EU-wide controls on the use of bee-harming neonicotinoid pesticides.

EFSA published on Thursday reports into the use last year – by Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania – of a widely used derogation to a 2013 prohibition of their use on a range of crops attractive to bees. Governments have since agreed a near-total EU ban.