The symposium topic

The regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 provides the regulatory framework to place plant protection products on the market. At the same time  directive 2009/128/EC aims to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides in the EU and defines how Integrated Plant Protection should be performed supported by national Action Plans.  One of the most important actions is the stimulation of different products proved to have a lower health and environmental risk than conventional pesticides.

These products we want to speak about are often materials that are biologically-derived or, if synthetic, structurally similar and functionally identical to a biologically occurring material. Microorganism, plant extracts, basic substances, semiochemicals, as well as non-pesticidal products like biostimulants, biological yield enhancers, plant health promoters, and soil conditioners are a matter of discussion.

For all of them we use  the widely known term “biorationals“, as an operative expression to speak about certain kinds of components of plant protection strategies, which are assumed to have advantages concerning risk characteristics on the one hand while at the same time provide acceptable efficacy in reducing pest impact. Nevertheless it is not our intention to propose a new legal category.

Due to the progress in science and driven by ten years of experience with regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 and directive 2009/128/EC (and the related regulatory framework)  it is necessary to highlight and discuss exemplary aspects of new developments and to reflect experiences made with biorationals within the existing regulatory framework.

The discussion should elucidate critical aspects which impede the efficient introduction of biorationals on the market and preview difficulties of new technologies with the regulatory framework.