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Food, Farming, Fisheries
Food Safety

Sustainable use of pesticides

Main Actions
Directive 2009/128/EC aims to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides in the EU by reducing the risks and impacts of pesticide use.
Evaluation and Impact Assessment
The Commission has carried out an evaluation of the sustainable use of pesticides directive and an impact assessment of its possible future revision. This work has been carried out in line with the Commission's guidance on Better Regulation.

Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive

Directive 2009/128/EC aims to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides in the EU by reducing the risks and impacts of pesticide use on human health and the environment and promoting the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and of alternative approaches or techniques, such as non-chemical alternatives to pesticides. EU countries have drawn up National Action Plans to implement the range of actions set out in the Directive.

The SUD forms part of the EU legal framework covering pesticides and their use. By promoting the use of integrated pest management and of alternative approaches and techniques, such as non-chemical alternatives to pesticides, the SUD supports the achievement of the targets set out in the Farm to Fork Strategy for reducing the risks and use of pesticides. 

Commission Staff Working Paper Accompanying the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for Community action to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides

The main actions relate to training of users, advisors and distributors of pesticides, inspection of pesticide application equipment, the prohibition of aerial spraying, limitation of pesticide use in sensitive areas, and information and awareness raising about pesticide risks.

EU countries must also promote Integrated Pest Management, for which, general principles are laid down in Annex III to the Directive.

The main purpose of this web-portal is to provide

  • key information on the sustainable use of pesticides and
  • links to relevant information contained on official websites in the Member States

There is a search function to help find the links you are looking for.

Reports from the Commission

Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the exercise of the power to adopt delegated acts conferred on the Commission pursuant to Directive 2009/128/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the sustainable use of pesticides

Second Report from the Commission (May 2020) and Annex to the European Parliament and the Council on the experience gained by Member States on the implementation of national targets established in their National Action Plans and on progress in the implementation of Directive 2009/128/EC on the sustainable use of pesticides.

First Report from the Commission (October 2017) to the European Parliament and the Council on Member State National Action Plans and on progress in the implementation of Directive 2009/128/EC on the sustainable use of pesticides.

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The search tool gives access to Member State websites on the sustainable use of pesticides.

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Events

Related links

Proposal for a new Regulation on the Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products

The European Commission adopted on 22 June 2022 a proposal for a new Regulation on the Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products, including EU wide targets to reduce by 50% the use and risk of chemical pesticides by 2030, in line with the EU's Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies.

The proposal was part of a package of measures to reduce the environmental footprint of the EU's food system and help mitigate the economic losses that we are already suffering due to climate change and biodiversity loss.

The proposal would have transformed the existing Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive (2009/128/EC) into a Regulation which would be directly binding and uniformly applicable to all Member States.

The proposal aimed to bring the existing rules on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides (see Directive 2009/128/EC) in line with the ambitions set in the EU Green Deal, Biodiversity and Farm to Fork strategies.

On 27 March 2024 the Commission withdrew the proposal since no agreement was foreseeable, in view of the rejection of the proposal by the European Parliament and the lack of progress of the discussions in the Council. The Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive (2009/128/EC) remains in force.

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