Insecticides

EFSA Proposes Higher Acequinocyl MRLs for Cane Fruits and Small Berries in the EU

EFSA has issued a May 2026 reasoned opinion proposing higher EU maximum residue limits for the acaricide acequinocyl in cane fruits and other small fruits and berries while confirming that the existing honey MRL can remain at 0.05 mg/kg. If the European Commission follows these recommendations, berry growers and crop protection suppliers will gain additional authorised acequinocyl uses, with EFSA’s modelling indicating that consumer exposure would remain comfortably below toxicological reference values.

23 May 2026, 11:18efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.comEuropean Union

France – Nouvelle-Aquitaine Issues Apple BSV Nord Bulletin No. 12 on Disease and Resistance Monitoring

France’s Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional chamber of agriculture has issued BSV Pommier Nord bulletin no. 12 for 19 May 2026, summarising apple disease and pest pressure together with national surveillance of fungicide and insecticide resistance. For plant-protection and stewardship teams, the bulletin signals emerging flonicamid sensitivity drift and ongoing DGAL ENI monitoring of dodine and dithianon efficacy, shaping resistance-management strategies and informing future regulatory scrutiny.

20 May 2026, 19:54opusv2-prod.chambres-agriculture.frFrance

EU Eurostat Updates Pesticide Sales Dataset (tai02) for 2013–2024

Eurostat has updated its EU pesticide sales dataset (tai02) in May 2026, providing harmonised 2013–2024 volumes of plant protection products sold across EU27, Switzerland and Norway. These official statistics give manufacturers and agricultural supply chains better insight into demand and use trends, supporting compliance planning under EU plant protection rules and informing future policy debates on pesticide reduction.

20 May 2026, 19:20ec.europa.euEuropean UnionSwitzerlandNorway

EU ECHA Updates AS-RNL Expressions Of Interest List For Biocidal Active Substance Renewals (Prepared 04 May 2026)

ECHA has refreshed its “expressions of interest” list for Biocidal Products Regulation active substance renewals, publishing a version prepared as of 04 May 2026 that shows which active substance/product-type combinations have sponsors, which do not, and the associated renewal deadlines over the next several years. This update gives manufacturers and authorisation holders a clearer forward view of which biocidal actives remain supported, where no renewal interest is recorded, and when key renewal windows close, informing decisions on joint dossiers, portfolio prioritisation, and substitution planning.

11 May 2026, 12:02echa.europa.euEuropean Union

Northern Ireland: HSE Flags Postponed EU BPR Active Substance Expiry Dates

HSE has alerted Northern Ireland biocides stakeholders that EU Commission decisions have postponed the EU BPR approval expiry dates for five active substances, extending them from mid‑2026 into 2027 and 2028. This gives NI authorisation holders more time to renew or adjust biocidal product authorisations for permethrin, tebuconazole, Bacillus sphaericus ABTS1743, propan‑2‑ol and alpha‑cypermethrin, but renewal strategies and portfolio plans should now be aligned with the new approval end dates.

30 Apr 2026, 06:43eur-lex.europa.euUnited Kingdom

France Issues Health Alert on Illegal Use of Banned Dichlorvos Insecticide SNIPER 1000 EC DDVP

France’s Île-de-France regional health agency has issued a public alert after ANSES toxicovigilance data showed rising poisonings, including three deaths, from the banned dichlorvos insecticide SNIPER 1000 EC DDVP, whose use in plant protection products and household biocidal insecticides has been prohibited nationally since 2007 and 2013 respectively. This reinforces that SNIPER and other dichlorvos-based insecticides are illegal products in France, so companies and distributors should ensure they are not imported or sold, tighten market and online controls, and prioritise authorised, safer pest-control solutions as enforcement and public scrutiny increase.

28 Apr 2026, 17:45iledefrance.ars.sante.frFrance

Switzerland Issues Emergency Authorisation for Spinosad Products Audienz, BIOHOP AudiENZ and Elvis

Switzerland’s food safety authority has granted a time-limited emergency authorisation for three Spinosad-based plant protection products to control beet pests in outdoor salad beet, valid until 30 November 2026. Growers and suppliers must align applications with strict dose limits, PPE rules and buffer zones around water, grassland and flowering plants, as these uses present notable risks for aquatic organisms and pollinators.

28 Apr 2026, 16:32fedlex.data.admin.chSwitzerland

Northern Ireland: EU Biocides Active Substance Approvals and Non‑Renewal (Formaldehyde RP 3:2, RP 1:1; Etofenprox)

EU has approved two formaldehyde-releasing reaction products and decided not to renew etofenprox under the Biocidal Products Regulation, with HSE confirming how these changes apply in Northern Ireland and setting a 1 June 2027 deadline for NI product authorisations. Companies supplying affected biocidal products or treated articles into NI must now plan authorisation dossiers, evaluate technical equivalence, and phase out or reformulate etofenprox-based product lines ahead of the 2026–2027 cut-off dates.

23 Apr 2026, 08:19content.govdelivery.comEuropean UnionUnited Kingdom

EEA Joint Committee Decision 280/2025 Incorporates New Biocidal Active Substance Decisions Into Annex II to the EEA Agreement

In December 2025, the EEA Joint Committee adopted Decision 280/2025 to incorporate several new biocidal active-substance implementing acts under the EU Biocidal Products Regulation into Annex II of the EEA Agreement, with publication in April 2026. This aligns approval and non-approval status for key biocidal active substances between the EU and EEA EFTA states, requiring manufacturers and users to ensure their biocidal products reflect the updated active-substance decisions when seeking or maintaining authorisations.

21 Apr 2026, 20:13data.europa.euEuropean UnionEuropean Economic Area

EU Standing Committee on Biocidal Products Publishes 91st Meeting Minutes on Upcoming Active Substance Decisions

The European Commission has published minutes of the 91st Standing Committee on Biocidal Products meeting (18 March 2026), signalling forthcoming implementing decisions on active-substance non-approvals, renewals, expiry-date postponements and Union authorisations under the EU Biocidal Products Regulation. While no votes were taken yet, the agenda highlights near-term regulatory movement for key rodenticides, IPBC, glutaraldehyde, PHMB, cis-tricos-9-ene, medetomidine, boric substances, isothiazolinones, hydrogen peroxide and ethylene oxide, giving companies early visibility of substances and product types likely to face changed approval status or new Union authorisations.

13 Apr 2026, 17:50circabc.europa.euEuropean Union

ECHA Launches Consultation on Hexaflumuron as Candidate for Substitution Under BPR

ECHA has opened a public consultation on designating hexaflumuron as a candidate for substitution under the Biocidal Products Regulation, closing June 8, 2026. This designation signals a high risk of future phase-out for termite control products, necessitating urgent assessment of alternatives or the preparation of derogation cases.

8 Apr 2026, 16:01echa.europa.euEuropean Union

ECHA Publishes B-Risk Video Tutorials for Bee Risk Assessment Under BPR

ECHA has released official video tutorials for the B-Risk calculator to standardize bee risk assessments required under the Biocidal Products Regulation. Manufacturers should adopt these standardized assessment methods to ensure dossier consistency and mitigate the risk of regulatory delays during product authorization.

8 Apr 2026, 15:56echa.europa.euEuropean Union

Sweden (KemI) Approves New Plant Protection Products and Updates Conditions (Q1 2026)

Sweden has finalized Q1 2026 plant protection product decisions, introducing ten new approvals and initiating phase-outs for specific fenpropidin-based registrations. Operators must transition to new ATP 22-compliant labeling by May 2026 and clear existing stocks of legacy-registered products before the end-of-May use-up deadline.

3 Apr 2026, 18:16kemi.seSweden

Great Britain: HSE Agency Opinion Proposes Skin Sens. 1B Classification for Thermally Treated Garlic Juice

The UK Health and Safety Executive has proposed a new mandatory classification for thermally treated garlic juice as a Skin Sensitiser Category 1B. This development triggers mandatory label and safety data sheet updates and may restrict the authorization of amateur-use biocidal products.

3 Apr 2026, 18:00hse.gov.ukUnited Kingdom

Japan Opens Public Comment on CSCL Class I Listing of LC-PFCAs, PFCA-Related Substances, Chlorpyrifos and MCCPs

Japan is moving to ban the manufacture and import of LC-PFCAs, chlorpyrifos, and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins by late 2026 under the Chemical Substances Control Law. Companies must urgently identify these substances in global supply chains to ensure compliance with upcoming prohibitions on both chemical mixtures and finished articles.

2 Apr 2026, 16:56public-comment.e-gov.go.jpJapan

Great Britain Issues Non-Approval Decisions For Biocidal Active Substances Under GB BPR

Great Britain has finalized the non-approval of several biocidal active substances including DBNPA and silver nitrate effective April 2026. Manufacturers must audit supply chains and initiate phase-out plans for treated articles and biocidal products to meet staggered market exit deadlines through 2027.

1 Apr 2026, 18:47hse.gov.ukUnited Kingdom

Norway Consults on Amendments to Biocides Regulation to Implement New EU Active-Substance Decisions

Norway is aligning its Biocides Regulation with EU decisions, extending several substance approvals while setting a September 2026 phase-out for etofenprox. Companies must manage the withdrawal of etofenprox-treated articles and meet new 2027 authorization deadlines for formaldehyde-releasers to maintain Norwegian market access.

1 Apr 2026, 14:17hss.miljodirektoratet.noNorway

EU Commission Confirms Siltac Is a Plant Protection Product Requiring Authorisation Under Regulation 1107/2009

The European Commission confirmed that siloxane-based insect control products acting via physical mechanisms are classified as Plant Protection Products under Regulation 1107/2009. Manufacturers must now secure formal pesticide authorizations to maintain market access, ending the use of non-PPP regulatory pathways for these substances.

31 Mar 2026, 21:29europarl.europa.euEuropean Union

Italy: Autonomous Province of Bolzano Bans Bee-Harmful Pesticides During Flowering for Apple Varieties

The Autonomous Province of Bolzano has prohibited 15 bee-harmful active substances in pesticides during the flowering of specific apple varieties starting March 2026. Companies must ensure regional pest management strategies and product applications align with these localized pollinator protection mandates and seasonal usage windows.

31 Mar 2026, 19:38agricoltura.provincia.bz.itItaly

Japan MAFF Registers Three Pesticides in Kanpō Issue No. 1671

Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries officially registered three new pesticide formulations in March 2026 under the Pesticide Control Act. These approvals expand market access for specific herbicide and insecticide products, reflecting the latest authorized chemistries for the Japanese agricultural sector.

31 Mar 2026, 19:38kanpo.go.jpJapan