Pollinators

European Parliament Questions Commission on Infringement Against Romania Over Neonicotinoid‑Treated Seed Authorisations

An MEP has submitted a priority written question asking the European Commission about the status of its infringement procedure against Romania over repeated emergency authorisations for neonicotinoid-treated seeds and the long-delayed update of EU guidance following CJEU ruling C-162/21. The question increases political pressure for tighter, more harmonised enforcement of bans on certain pesticides and could shape the timing and scope of future guidance on emergency authorisations across EU agriculture.

20 May 2026, 06:23europarl.europa.euEuropean UnionRomania

HSE Adopts ECHA Guidance on Bee Risk Assessment for Biocides in Great Britain

From 1 February 2027, GB biocides applications submitted to HSE will need to use newly adopted ECHA guidance and tools to assess risks to bees from insecticidal product-type 18 uses, with the same guidance already applying to new applications in Northern Ireland. This raises and harmonises expectations for bee risk assessment under the Biocidal Products Regulation, meaning companies must integrate the ECHA bee-risk modelling framework into future GB and NI biocides dossiers and planning.

8 May 2026, 06:49hse.gov.ukUnited Kingdom

US Senate Engrosses Pipeline Safety Act of 2025 (S. 2975)

In April 2026 the US Senate passed and engrossed S. 2975, the Pipeline Integrity, Protection, and Enhancement for Leveraging Investments in the Nation's Energy to assure Safety Act of 2025, advancing a broad reauthorisation and modernisation package for federal pipeline safety programmes through 2030. This step does not change the bill’s substance relative to the earlier reported version but significantly increases its likelihood of becoming law, so operators should track House action and prepare for potential new requirements on hydrogen and CO2 pipelines, mapping, inspections, penalties, information-sharing and municipal gas system upgrades.

4 May 2026, 20:03govinfo.govUnited States

Bolzano Province Partially Revokes Ban on Bee-Harmful Pesticides for Fruit Trees at Higher Altitudes

In late April 2026 the Autonomous Province of Bolzano’s Plant Protection Service announced a staged, altitude-based partial revocation of its ban on bee-harmful plant-protection products for fruit trees, with the ban lifting between 23 April and 3 May depending on elevation and whether orchards are in Val Venosta. Growers regain limited scope to use these products but must still comply with label conditions and avoid spraying flowering trees, so compliance teams should align advisory notices and application plans to the new altitude bands and effective dates.

4 May 2026, 18:25agricoltura.provincia.bz.itItaly

PAN Netherlands Study Finds Pesticide and PFAS Cocktails in 'Bee-Friendly' Plants Sold in Dutch Garden Centres

In April 2026 PAN Netherlands released laboratory results showing that "bee-friendly" ornamental plants sold by major Dutch garden centres contain complex cocktails of pesticides, including PFAS and highly hazardous actives, at sometimes extreme residue levels. Although not a regulatory decision, this evidence increases pressure on EU and Dutch authorities and retailers to tighten pesticide approvals and introduce residue limits for ornamentals, signalling potential future restrictions and market shifts for suppliers of horticultural chemicals and plants.

30 Apr 2026, 06:38pan-netherlands.orgNetherlandsEuropean Union

California DPR Launches $500,000 Ecosystem Monitoring RFP on Pesticide Impacts

In April 2026, California’s pesticide regulator opened a $500,000 research call for multi-year ecosystem monitoring projects on how pesticides affect wildlife and natural environments. This funding signals a sustained regulatory focus on real-world pesticide impacts and will generate data that can underpin future restrictions, risk assessments, and biodiversity protection strategies in California.

28 Apr 2026, 18:16cdpr.ca.govUnited States

Belgium: UCLouvain Study Finds Neonicotinoid Residues in 78% of Walloon Agricultural Soils

A new UCLouvain study in the Journal of Hazardous Materials finds neonicotinoid insecticide residues in 78% of agricultural soil samples across Wallonia, including many fields never knowingly treated and cover crops that accumulate residues years after use, signalling persistent contamination and elevated exposure risks for pollinators. These results indicate that EU and regional pesticide and agri-environmental policies may underestimate legacy soil contamination, strengthening the case for more conservative neonicotinoid use, tighter monitoring, and more cautious design of flower strips and cover crops in future schemes.

24 Apr 2026, 18:32sciencedirect.comBelgium

Switzerland FSVO Grants Temporary Emergency Authorisation for Spinosad Products on Beet Crops

Switzerland’s food safety and veterinary authority has granted a temporary emergency authorisation for specified Spinosad-based plant protection products on beet crops, effective from 17 April 2026 until 30 November 2026 under defined conditions. Growers and product authorisation holders must follow strict use, buffer-zone, and bee-protection requirements and should plan for the derogation’s expiry when scheduling treatments, contracts, and supply commitments.

21 Apr 2026, 20:17fedlex.data.admin.chSwitzerland

New Hampshire Senate Refers Neonicotinoid Pesticide Bill HB 1431 to Interim Study

On 14 April 2026 the New Hampshire Senate voted to refer HB 1431, a bill that would restrict neonicotinoid pesticides and require new pesticide-control rules, to interim study rather than advancing it this session. This delays any immediate statewide neonicotinoid restrictions but signals ongoing legislative pressure and a potential 2027 rulemaking timeline that pesticide manufacturers, distributors, and agricultural users should monitor.

21 Apr 2026, 20:15gc.nh.govUnited States

Colorado HB26-1132 Proposes Pollinator-Friendly Land Management on State Lands

Colorado lawmakers are considering HB26-1132, which would require state agencies to prioritise native, pollinator-friendly plants, establish pollinator habitat zones on state-owned lands, and move state-funded projects toward pesticide-free landscaping and pesticide-free plant supply from 2028 onward. If enacted, this would modestly tighten pesticide expectations in state procurement and change vegetation management practices for contractors working on Colorado state infrastructure, while also commissioning a statewide native-plant supply-chain study with a 2031 reporting deadline.

16 Apr 2026, 15:42leg.colorado.govUnited States

Italy: Bolzano Province Bans Bee-Harmful Pesticides on Flowering Fruit Trees at 500–800 m in Val Venosta

The Autonomous Province of Bolzano has prohibited the use of specific bee-harmful pesticides on flowering fruit trees at mid-altitudes in Val Venosta effective April 2026. Agricultural producers must recalibrate spray programs and pollinator management to align with these localized environmental protections or risk non-compliance in a critical apple-growing region.

10 Apr 2026, 11:13agricoltura.provincia.bz.itItaly

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

Minnesota Senate Committee Schedules Hearing on SF 3915 Wild-Rice Water Pesticide Protections

Minnesota is advancing SF 3915 to strengthen pesticide regulations and enforcement near wild-rice waters with a key committee hearing scheduled for April 2026. Operators should prepare for more rigorous environmental impact assessments and heightened enforcement risks for pesticide applications affecting sensitive aquatic ecosystems.

6 Apr 2026, 16:45revisor.mn.govUnited States

EU JRC Knowledge Synthesis on Green Roofs and Walls for Nature Restoration Regulation

The EU Joint Research Centre has released guidance on green roofs and walls to support urban restoration targets under the Nature Restoration Regulation. This synthesis signals a shift toward standardized urban greening, likely influencing future building design requirements and sustainable infrastructure investment.

4 Apr 2026, 10:56publications.jrc.ec.europa.euEuropean Union

Calabria Region Confirms Emergency Derogation for Plant‑Protection Product CLOSER (Sulfoxaflor) on Citrus and Stone Fruit

Calabria has granted an emergency authorization for the pesticide sulfoxaflor on citrus and stone fruits through July 2026. Businesses sourcing from this region must ensure agricultural practices align with this temporary window to manage residue risks and maintain market access.

1 Apr 2026, 14:41regione.calabria.itItalyIT_78

Brittany Adopts 2026–2031 Regional Action Plan for Pollinators and Pollination

Brittany has launched a regional pollinator action plan for 2026–2031 to integrate EU nature restoration and pesticide reduction targets into local agricultural and land-use policies. While the plan introduces no immediate legal mandates, it will redirect regional subsidies and planning priorities toward stricter environmental management and reduced chemical dependency.

31 Mar 2026, 21:27draaf.bretagne.agriculture.gouv.frFrance

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

Netherlands: PAN Netherlands Objects To Ctgb Extension Of Gazelle (Acetamiprid) Authorisation To 2034

PAN Netherlands has launched a formal legal challenge against the Dutch regulator's decision to extend the authorization of acetamiprid-based insecticides through 2034. This litigation increases the risk of sudden market withdrawal or severe usage restrictions if the regulator is forced to re-evaluate the substance against updated pollinator safety standards.

29 Mar 2026, 17:39pan-netherlands.orgNetherlandsEuropean Union

France – Nouvelle-Aquitaine BSV Signals Reduced Sensitivity to Flonicamide in Apple and Pear Surveillance

French regional monitoring has identified laboratory-confirmed sensitivity shifts for the insecticide flonicamide in apple and pear orchards. This development signals potential future efficacy loss and heightened regulatory pressure, necessitating a shift toward resistance management and biocontrol alternatives.

28 Mar 2026, 20:27opusv2-prod.chambres-agriculture.frFrance

EFSA Develops B‑risk Biocides Web Application for Bee Risk Assessment

EFSA has launched the B-risk Biocides web application to standardize and automate risk assessments for bees exposed to biocidal products. This tool signals a shift toward more rigorous pollinator safety evaluations that will likely define the technical requirements for future biocide approvals and product registrations in the EU.

27 Mar 2026, 18:40efsa.europa.euEuropean Union