Over the Last 22 Years, the European Union Has Not Blocked a Single Insect-Killing Pesticide, Despite Clear Environmental Protection Laws
This is the conclusion of a concerning report by PAN Europe (Pesticide Action Network Europe), which the Via Pontica Foundation, as a member, is actively engaged with. The report exposes large-scale manipulations in favor of the chemical industry that are endangering our ecosystems and worsening biodiversity.
How Did We Get Here?
Instead of enforcing laws that require the ban of dangerous pesticides, the EU has relied on guidelines developed with the help of major chemical corporations such as Bayer and Syngenta. These “guidelines” allow producers to bypass regulations, causing catastrophic harm to insects, which are the foundation of food chains and pollination.
Here’s what the report reveals:
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Total Lack of Protection: Not a single substance has been blocked due to harm to insects, despite accumulating evidence of their devastating impact.
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Manipulation of Scientific Data: Degraded lands are used as a standard for a “healthy” ecosystem, and the long-term effects of pesticides are hidden through short-term tests.
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Conflicts of Interest: The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has hired experts with links to the chemical industry to develop new methodologies that further weaken environmental protection.
What’s at Stake?
Insects are an indispensable part of nature. They not only pollinate plants, but also keep the soil healthy, regulate pests, and provide food for many other animals. Without them, ecosystems collapse, along with agriculture and our future.
Instead of working to protect them, the new EFSA guidelines will further reduce the protection of insects. If these methodologies are adopted:
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Herbivorous insects will be classified as “pests,” justifying their destruction.
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Computer models will be used instead of real tests, making the results difficult to verify.
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Pesticides will continue to be tested for only 48 hours, ignoring their long-term effects.
Is There Hope?
“This is not the final outcome,” says Dr. Martin Dermin, Executive Director of PAN Europe. “We still have time to correct this massive mistake. The EU must return to its core principles – placing nature above the profits of chemical giants.”
The Via Pontica Foundation and other organizations are calling for:
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Immediate removal of conflicts of interest in regulations;
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Appointment of independent scientists to create guidelines based on real scientific data;
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Accelerated banning of pesticides that destroy insects and ecosystems.
What’s Next?
The “Licence to Kill” report is a call to action. The Via Pontica Foundation will continue to fight for the creation of effective regulations to protect insects and nature. Because this is not only an ecological but a moral duty towards future generations.
For more information on the report, click here.