A Step Forward for Biocontrol in EU Plant Protection Policy
June 2025
At the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting on 23–24 June 2025, Austria, supported by Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal and Slovakia, brought forward an important discussion point on the future of plant protection in Europe.
The joint statement underlines the need for both sustainable and competitive agriculture, highlighting the declining availability of active substances and the increasing pressures from climate change, global trade, and pest outbreaks. In this context, the countries welcome the European Commission’s commitment to accelerate the authorisation of biocontrols as part of integrated pest management strategies recognising them as essential tools to meet sustainability goals and support resilient EU food systems.
The Biocontrol Coalition welcomes the Member States’ call for the European Commission to urgently address the following actions, especially where they foster the increased availability of biocontrol products to farmers on an equal footing across the EU:
- Consideration of food security in the evaluation procedure
The assessment of active substances should not only reflect environmental and health concerns but also ensure that farmers have access to effective tools to maintain food production under increasingly challenging conditions.
- Examination of further simplification and harmonisation potential regarding authorisations of plant protection products within the same zone
Inconsistent authorisation procedures across Member States hinder fair competition and delay product access; greater harmonisation would support timely and equitable availability across the EU.
- Improvement in the handling of the existing regime
Existing tools, such as provisions for substances without alternatives and emergency authorisations, should be more effectively applied to address real-world agronomic needs.
- Drafting an EU-wide harmonised ‘future concept for plant protection’ to increase the competitiveness of EU agriculture
A clear, practical and inclusive strategy is needed to balance sustainability, competitiveness, and safety—while supporting innovation and aligning regulatory processes across the EU.
- Creating an innovation-friendly environment
The development and uptake of alternative methods like biocontrols should be actively supported through EU and national research agendas, helping to future-proof European agriculture.
This joint call is a clear signal: to build a resilient and competitive EU agriculture, we must invest in innovation, streamline regulation and fully embrace biocontrol as a key part of the solution.
