Considerations on COM(2022)305 - Sustainable use of plant protection products - Main contents
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This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2022)305 - Sustainable use of plant protection products. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2022)305 |
| date | June 22, 2022 |
(2) Directive 2009/128/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 37 established a framework to achieve a sustainable use of pesticides by reducing the risks and impacts of the use of pesticides on human health and the environment. The evaluation 38 of that Directive found that it has not achieved its overall objectives and that the Member States did not implement it in a satisfactory manner. This conclusion was confirmed in reports from the Commission to the European Parliament and Council in 2017 39 and 2020 40 .
(3) The European Parliament resolution of 12 February 2019 on the implementation of Directive 2009/128/EC on the sustainable use of pesticides 41 noted that the Union must act without delay to transition to a more sustainable use of pesticides and called on the Commission to propose an ambitious Union-wide binding target for the reduction of pesticide use. The European Parliament re-affirmed its call for binding reduction targets in its resolution of 20 October 2021 on a Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system 42 .
(4) In 2018, a study 43 by the European Parliament Research Service (EPRS) found progress in many Member States but a limited overall achievement of the objectives of Directive 2009/128/EC. A 2020 special report 44 from the European Court of Auditors (ECA) on the sustainable use of plant protection products found that there is limited progress in measuring and reducing the risks of plant protection product use and identified weaknesses in the current Union framework. As noted in its information report in relation to evaluation of Directive 2009/128/EC 45 , the European Economic and Social Committee also considers it essential to reassess the requirements, targets, conditions and timetables set under national action plans.
(5) In order to ensure full attainment of the objectives of the Union legal framework on sustainable use of plant protection products, it needs to be adapted by laying down clearer and directly applicable rules for operators. In addition, a number of rules should be clarified, including the rules on the application of integrated pest management, restrictions of use of plant protection products and the inspections of equipment used to apply plant protection products. It is therefore appropriate to repeal Directive 2009/128/EC and replace it with a regulation.
(6) The rules concerning biocidal products are laid down in Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council 46 , and an evaluation of that Regulation is planned. It is therefore not appropriate to introduce new rules on the use of biocidal products in this Regulation.
(7) The Commission Communication entitled ‘the European Green Deal’ 47 set out a roadmap of key measures, including legislative, to significantly reduce the use and risk of chemical pesticides. In the Farm to Fork Strategy 48 , EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 49 and the Zero Pollution Action Plan 50 , the Commission committed to take action to reduce by 50% the overall use and risk from chemical pesticides by 2030 and reduce by 50% the use of more hazardous pesticides (plant protection products containing one or more active substances approved as candidates for substitution in accordance with Article 24 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council 51 and listed in Part E of the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 52 , or containing one or more active substances listed in the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/408 53 ) by 2030. The sustainable use of plant protection products is also complementary to the promotion of organic farming and achieving the Farm to Fork Strategy target of at least 25% of the Union’s agricultural land under organic farming by 2030. It supports the objectives of the EU strategic framework on health and safety at work 54 and thereby contributes to the implementation of principle 10 of the European Pillar of Social Rights on a healthy, safe and well-adapted work environment.
(8) Two European citizens’ initiatives address the use of pesticides and call for ambitious reduction targets. The initiative ‘ Ban glyphosate and protect people and the environment from toxic pesticides ’ submitted to the Commission on 6 October 2017 called on the Commission, under its third aim, ‘to set EU-wide mandatory reduction targets for pesticide use, with a view to achieving a pesticide-free future’. In its reply adopted on 12 December 2017 , the Commission stated that it would re-evaluate the need for EU-wide mandatory targets for pesticides. More recently, the initiative ‘ Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment ’ calls on the Commission ‘to propose legal acts to phase out synthetic pesticides in EU agriculture by 80% by 2030, starting with the most hazardous, and to become free of synthetic by 2035.’ The initiative has collected over 1 million statements of support by 30 September 2021 which are currently being verified by Member States authorities.
(9) In the final report of the Conference on the Future of Europe, published on 9 May 2022, when it comes to the proposals on agriculture, food production, biodiversity and ecosystems, pollution, citizens ask the Union in particular to significantly reduce the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, in line with the existing targets, while still ensuring food security, and support for research to develop more sustainable and natural-based alternatives. Citizens ask for more research and innovations, including in technological solutions for sustainable production, plant resistance, and precision farming, and more communication, advisory systems, and training for and from farmers as well as asking the Union to protect insects, in particular indigenous and pollinating insects. 55
(10) In its conclusions of 19 October 2020 56 , the Council of the European Union, when taking note of the Commission’s reduction targets for the use of pesticides set out in the Farm to Fork Strategy, pointed out that achieving those targets will require efforts from Member States and all stakeholders and intensive co-operation, consultation and collaboration. The Council also requested the Commission to ensure that these targets are Union targets to which all Member States must contribute through action at national level. The Council conclusions request such targets to be set taking into account achievements to date, as well as Member States' different starting points, circumstances and conditions.
(11) Biological control agents are a sustainable control alternative to the use of chemical products for the control of harmful organisms. As noted in Council Decision (EU) 2021/1102 57 , biological control agents have a growing importance in sustainable agriculture and forestry and have an instrumental role to play in the success of integrated pest management and organic farming. Access to biological controls facilitates moving away from chemical plant protection products. It is appropriate to encourage farmers to switch to low input agricultural methods including organic farming. It is therefore appropriate to define the concept of biological control as a basis for Member States to set indicative targets to increase the percentage of crops on which biological control agents are used.
(12) The objective of the Farm to Fork Strategy is to make substantial progress in the reduction of the use of chemical plant protection products in an economically viable way. In order to achieve that aim, it is necessary to set quantified targets at Union and Member State levels for the reduction in the use and risk of chemical plant protection products and the use of more hazardous plant protection products to monitor progress. National targets should be established by national law in order to ensure adequate progress and accountability in relation to them. These binding national targets should also be achieved by Member States by 2030. The reduction in the use of chemical plant protection products is expected to significantly reduce occupational safety and health risks for professional users.
(13) Given the different levels of historical progress and differences in intensity of pesticide use between Member States, it is necessary to allow Member States some flexibility when setting their own binding national targets (“national 2030 reduction targets”). Intensity of use is best measured by dividing the total quantity of active substances placed on the market, and therefore used, in the form of plant protection products in a particular Member State by the surface area over which the active substances were applied. Intensity in the use of chemical pesticides, and in particular of the more hazardous pesticides, correlates with greater dependency on chemical pesticides, greater risks to human health and the environment and less sustainable farming practices. It is therefore appropriate to allow Member States to take their lower intensity of use of chemical pesticides than the Union average into account in setting their national 2030 reduction targets. It is also appropriate to require them to take their higher intensity of use of chemical pesticides than the Union average into account in setting their national 2030 reduction targets. In addition, in order to give recognition to past efforts by Member States, they should also be allowed to take into account historical progress prior to the adoption of the Farm to Fork Strategy when setting national 2030 reduction targets. Conversely, where Member States have increased, or made only limited reductions in, their use and risk of chemical plant protection products, they should now make a greater contribution to the achievement of the Union 2030 reduction targets, while also taking account of their intensity of pesticide use. In order to ensure a fair and collective effort towards the achievement of Union-wide targets and an adequate level of ambition, minimum limits should be laid down for national 2030 reduction targets. The EU’s outermost regions, as listed in Article 349 of the Treaty, are located in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Indian Ocean. Due to permanent constraints such as their remoteness to the European continent, insularity and high exposure to climate change, it is appropriate to allow Member States to take into account the specific needs of these regions as regards the use of plant protection products and measures tailored to specific climatic conditions and crops. In order to ensure a fair and collective effort towards the achievement of Union-wide targets, where a Member State reaches the level of its 2030 national reduction target before 2030, it should not be required to undertake additional reduction efforts, but it should closely monitor annual fluctuations in the use and risk of chemical plant protection products and in the use of more hazardous plant protection products to ensure progress towards meeting the respective 2030 national reduction target. In the interests of transparency, Member State responses to any Commission recommendations in relation to the level of ambition of national targets and the annual progress made towards them should be publicly accessible.
(14) Member States should draft and publish national action plans. In order for the Member State national action plans to be effective, they should contain quantitative objectives, references to binding national 2030 reduction targets as set out in national law, together with related indicative targets set out in the national action plans, measures, timetables and indicators to reduce risks and impacts of pesticide use on human health and the environment. This will allow for a structured approach to the setting of quantitative objectives and targets, with a clear link to the national 2030 reduction targets. In order to monitor compliance with the provisions of this Regulation, Member States should also be required to report annually on targets and precise quantitative data relating to compliance with provisions on use, training, application equipment and integrated pest management.
(13) In order to achieve the Union-wide reduction targets (‘Union 2030 reduction targets’) as well as national 2030 reduction targets, it is necessary to increase the availability and use of biological control and other non-chemical alternatives. Availability of these alternatives will incentivise the adoption of low pesticide-input pest management practices such as organic farming.
(14) The implementation of policies and measures in the areas of sustainable use of plant protection products has an impact on the environment, public health and working conditions. Member States should therefore ensure that the public and social partners are given sufficient opportunities to participate in and to be consulted on the preparation of Member State national action plans in accordance, where applicable, with Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 58 .
(15) In order to ensure consistency and complementarity with related legislation, Member State national action plans should take into account Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 59 , Council Directive 92/43/EEC 60 , Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 61 , Council Directive 91/676/EEC 62 , Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 63 , Directive (EU) 2016/2284 of the European Parliament and of the Council 64 and Regulation xxx/xxx on nature restoration [reference to adopted act to be inserted] and should be consistent with the Common Agricultural Policy (“CAP”) Strategic Plans drawn-up in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council 65 .
(16) Economic instruments, including those under the CAP that provide support to farmers, can play a crucial role in the achievement of objectives relating to the sustainable use of plant protection products and, in particular, reducing the use of chemical plant protection products. Member States have to show in their national CAP Strategic Plans that their implementation of the CAP contributes to and supports other relevant Union legislation and their objectives, including objectives under this Regulation.
(17) For the sake of transparency and in order to encourage greater progress, it is necessary to measure the progress made by Member States in relation to the achievement of the national 2030 reduction targets and other national indicative reduction targets. This should be done on an annual basis by means of annual progress and implementation reports. In order to monitor the level of compliance with this Regulation in a streamlined, easily comparable manner, Member States should also include quantitative data in relation to the implementation of this Regulation as regards use, training, application equipment and integrated pest management. In order for the Commission to encourage progress towards achieving national 2030 reduction targets and other national indicative reduction targets, including any measures in support of such achievement, the Commission should analyse such progress and measures every 2 years.
(18) An approach to pest control that follows integrated pest management in ensuring careful consideration of all available means that discourage the development of populations of harmful organisms, while keeping the use of chemical plant protection products to levels that are economically and ecologically justified and minimising risks to human health and the environment is necessary for the protection of human health and the environment. ‘Integrated pest management’ emphasises the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems, encourages natural pest control mechanisms and uses chemical control only when all other control means are exhausted. To ensure that integrated pest management is implemented consistently on the ground, it is necessary to lay down clear rules in this Regulation. In order to comply with the obligation to follow integrated pest management, a professional user should consider and implement all methods and practices that avoid the use of plant protection products. Chemical plant protection products should only be used when all other control means have been exhausted. In order to ensure and monitor compliance with this requirement, it is important that professional users keep a record of the reasons why they apply plant protection products or the reasons for any other action taken in line with integrated pest management and of advice received in support of their implementation of integrated pest management from independent advisors. These records are also required for aerial applications.
(19) To avoid unnecessary duplication, the Commission should establish a standard template for Member States to integrate records kept by professional users of actions taken in line with integrated pest management with those kept under Article 67 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.
(20) In order to facilitate compliance with integrated pest management, it is necessary to lay down crop-specific rules that a professional user must follow in relation to the specific crop and region in which the professional user operates. Such rules should convert the requirements of integrated pest management into verifiable criteria that apply to the specific crop. To ensure that the crop-specific rules are in accordance with the requirements of integrated pest management, detailed rules should be laid down as to what they should contain and the Commission should verify their development, implementation and enforcement on the ground.
(21) In order to verify compliance by professional users with integrated pest management, an electronic integrated pest management and plant protection product use register should be maintained with the aim of verifying compliance with the rules on integrated pest management set out in this Regulation and supporting the development of Union policy. Access to the register should also be granted to national statistical authorities for the development, production and dissemination of official statistics in accordance with Chapter V of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council 66 . This register should record any preventative measure or intervention and the reasons for that preventative measure or intervention. This will provide the competent authorities with the information necessary to verify whether a professional user has carried out a decision-making process, in accordance with integrated pest management, before determining the specific preventative measure or intervention. The register should also contain details in relation to advice required annually in support of integrated pest management in order to verify that such strategic longer term planning in relation to integrated pest management is taking place.
(22) In order to ensure that plant protection products and related application equipment are used in a manner that protects human health and the environment, it is necessary to provide for general requirements on professional users in relation to the training required to use certain plant protection products or application equipment, the use of more hazardous plant protection products and the need to comply with inspection requirements for application equipment in professional use.
(23) Use of plant protection products may have particularly negative impacts in certain areas that are frequently used by the general public or by vulnerable groups, communities in which people live and work and ecologically sensitive areas, such as Natura 2000 sites protected in accordance with Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 67 and Council Directive 92/43/EEC 68 . If plant protection products are used in areas used by the general public, the possibility of exposure of humans to such plant protection products is high. In order to protect human health and the environment, the use of plant protection products in sensitive areas and within 3 metres of such areas, should therefore be prohibited. Derogations from the prohibition should only be allowed under certain conditions and on a case-by-case basis.
(24) The aquatic environment and drinking water supplies are especially sensitive to plant protection products. In order to protect the aquatic environment, the use of plant protection products in and around surface waters areas should therefore be prohibited. Member States should have in place appropriate measures to avoid deterioration of surface and groundwater as well as coastal and marine waters and allow achievement of good surface and groundwater status, to protect the aquatic environment and drinking water supplies from the impact of plant protection products. In addition, it is important that professional users are trained in how to minimise or eliminate applications of certain plant protection products classified as “harmful to aquatic life with long lasting effects”, “very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects” or “toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects”. It is also important that professional users are trained on the importance of giving preference to low risk plant protection products or non-chemical alternatives, use of drift reducing technology and risk mitigation measures.
(25) Precision farming refers to agricultural management systems carefully tailoring crop management to fit localised conditions such as those found within land parcels. The application of existing technology, including the use of Union space data and services (Galileo and Copernicus), has the potential to significantly reduce pesticide usage. It is therefore necessary to provide for a legislative framework that incentivises the development of precision farming. Application of plant protection products from an aircraft, including application by planes, helicopters and drones, is usually less precise than other means of application and may therefore potentially cause adverse impacts on human health and the environment. Aerial application should therefore be prohibited, with limited derogations on a case-by-case basis where it has a less negative impact on human health and the environment than any alternative application method or there is no viable alternative application method. It is also necessary to record the numbers of aerial applications carried out on the basis of permits granted for aerial application in order to have clear data on how many aerial applications for which permits were granted actually took place.
(26) It is however likely that certain unmanned aircraft (including drones) will allow for the targeted aerial application of plant protection products. Such unmanned aircraft are likely to help reduce the use of plant protection products due to targeted application and consequently help reduce the risks to human health and the environment compared to use of land-based application equipment. It is therefore appropriate to set criteria in this Regulation for an exemption of certain unmanned aircraft from the prohibition of aerial application. It is also appropriate to defer the application of this exemption for 3 years given the current state of scientific uncertainty.
(27) Handling of plant protection products, including storage, dilution and mixing of such products, cleaning of application equipment after use, recovery and disposal of tank mixtures and disposal of empty packaging and remnants of plant protection products pose particular risks of exposure to humans and to the environment. Therefore it is appropriate to provide for specific measures addressing these activities. To the extent that the use, storage and disposal of plant protection products require compliance with minimum health and safety requirements at the workplace, those requirements are laid down by, inter alia, Council Directive 89/391/EEC 69 , Council Directive 89/656/EEC 70 , Council Directive 98/24/EC 71 , Directive 2004/37/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 72 and Directive 2009/104/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 73 .
(28) Given the importance of advice on the use of plant protection products as a means to support their use in a manner that protects human health and the environment in accordance with integrated pest management, it is important that advisors are adequately trained.
(29) Sale of a plant protection product is an important element in the distribution chain because it allows distributors to provide the necessary information to support its proper use. Specific advice on safety instructions for human health and the environment should be available to the purchaser or end user at the time of sale in order to allow questions to be answered that will facilitate the correct use of the relevant plant protection product. For non-professional users, general information should be available at point of sale on safe use, handling and storage of plant protection products and on disposal of the packaging of such products, since those users do not generally have the same practical knowledge as professional users.
(30) It is essential that Member States establish and maintain systems of both initial and follow-up training for distributors, advisors and professional users of plant protection products and certification systems to record such training, in order to ensure that those operators are fully aware of the potential risks to human health and the environment and of the appropriate measures to reduce those risks as much as possible. The training for advisors should be more extensive than that of distributors and professional users since they need to be able to support the proper implementation of integrated pest management and crop-specific rules. The use or purchase of a plant protection product authorised for professional use must be limited to persons in possession of a training certificate. In addition, in order to ensure safe use of plant protection products for human health and the environment, distributors should be required to provide both professional and non-professional purchasers of plant protection products with product specific information at point of sale.
(31) In order to ensure a planned approach to harmful organism control techniques across a number of growing seasons with a view to minimising the use of chemical plant protection products as much as possible and to ensure a proper implementation of integrated pest management, professional users should be required to regularly consult trained, independent advisors on pest management, so that plant protection products are only used as a last resort.
(32) Considering the possible risks to human health and the environment from the use of plant protection products, the public should have access to better information on the overall impacts of the use of such products through awareness-raising programmes, information passed on through distributors and other appropriate measures.
(33) In order to better understand the trends regarding acute poisoning incidents and chronic poisoning arising from exposure of persons to plant protection products, information on such trends should be compiled by each Member State. The Commission should also monitor the overall trends at Union level.
(34) In order to minimise the adverse impacts of plant protection products on human health and the environment, it is necessary to provide for systems for regular technical inspection of application equipment in professional use. Given the potentially reduced impact of application equipment in professional use which represents a very low scale of use, it is also appropriate to allow Member States to lay down less stringent inspection requirements and provide for different inspection intervals in relation to such equipment. In addition, due to the relatively low cost of purchasing new handheld application equipment and knapsack sprayers compared to the costs of inspection, it is appropriate to provide for the possibility of national derogations from the mandatory inspection of such equipment, subject to the carrying out of a risk assessment covering the risks to human health and the environment posed by such equipment. That assessment should include an estimation of the scale of use of the equipment. To ensure compliance with the inspection requirements, it is necessary to require that each Member State establish a register of application equipment in professional use and keep that register up to date. As some of the application equipment does not have unique IDs, it is necessary to make provision for the supply of a unique ID to such application equipment to ensure that all equipment is physically identified.
(35) In order to monitor progress achieved in the reduction of risks and adverse impacts to human health and the environment from the use of plant protection products it is necessary to continue using the system of harmonised risk indicators established under Directive (EU) 2009/128/EC.
(36) Statistical data on plant protection products collected in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council 74 should be used in calculating these harmonised risk indicators and progress towards achieving binding Union and national targets based on the Farm to Fork Strategy. Given that pesticide use fluctuates between years depending, in particular, on the weather, a three year baseline period is appropriate to take account of such fluctuations. The baseline period for the calculation of harmonised risk indicators 1 and 2 is 2011–2013, as this was the first three year period for which data was received by the Commission under Regulation (EC) No 1185/2009 and coincides with the entry into force of Directive 2009/128/EC. The baseline period for the calculation of progress towards the Union 2030 reduction targets is 2015–2017, as this was the three most recent years for which data was available at the time of the announcement of the Farm to Fork Strategy. The baseline period for the calculation of a new harmonised risk indicator 2a is 2022–2024, as this will be the first three year period for which data on the areas treated under each authorisation for an emergency situation in plant protection will be available.
(37) For the moment, the only robust statistical data available at Union level relating to the marketing and use of plant protection products are the statistics on the quantities of active substances in plant protection products placed on the market, and the data on the number of authorisations for emergency situations in plant protection granted under Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. Those statistics are used in the calculation of harmonised risk indicators 1 and 2 under Directive 2009/128/EC and in calculating progress towards the binding Union 2030 reduction targets and national 2030 reduction targets based on the Farm to Fork Strategy. The new harmonised risk indicator 2a will be calculated using statistics on the number of authorisations for emergency situations in plant protection, the properties of the active substances in plant protection products subject to these authorisations, and the areas treated under these authorisations to better quantify the risks arising from authorisations for emergency situations in plant protection.
(38) For reasons of transparency, and to ensure uniform implementation by all Member States, the methodology for calculating progress towards achieving the two Union and two national 2030 reduction targets and the methodology for the calculation of harmonised risk indicators at Union and national level should be set out in an Annex to this Regulation.
(39) The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 recognises the need for urgent action to protect biodiversity. There is evidence of a widespread reduction of species, in particular insects and pollinators, in the Union. Biodiversity loss is, amongst other factors, driven by the use of plant protection products, while Member States actions under current Union policy instruments have not yet been able to stop this trend of biodiversity loss. It is therefore essential to ensure that plant protection products are used in such a way as to mitigate the risk of harmful effects of such products on wildlife, through a number of measures including training, inspection of application equipment in professional use and protection of the aquatic environment and sensitive areas.
(40) In order to facilitate communication between the Commission and competent authorities responsible for the implementation of this Regulation at national level, Member States should inform the Commission of the competent authorities designated under this Regulation.
(41) In order to enforce the obligations set out in this Regulation, Member States should lay down rules on penalties applicable to infringements of this Regulation and ensure that those rules are enforced. The penalties should be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. It is also important to provide for Member States to recover costs related to carrying out obligations under this Regulation by means of fees or charges in order to ensure that adequate financial resources are available to competent authorities.
(42) Since the objective of this Regulation, namely to protect human health and the environment from risks and impacts associated with the use of plant protection products and to achieve the targets set out in the Farm to Fork Strategy and the EU Biodiversity Strategy, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States, but can rather, by reason of the scale of their use and the complexity and effects of the risk profiles associated with them, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives.
(43) Activities performed by the competent authorities, or by other bodies or natural persons to which official control tasks have been delegated, in order to verify compliance by operators with this Regulation, are, with the exception of control tasks related to equipment used to apply plant protection products, regulated by Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council. 75 Therefore, this Regulation only needs to provide for controls and audits in respect of inspection of application equipment in professional use.
(44) In order to take into account technical progress and scientific developments, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty should be delegated to the Commission to amend the provisions on obligations of professional users and advisors related to integrated pest management, inspection of application equipment in professional use, calculation of harmonised risk indicators, the data to be provided in annual progress and implementation reports and the notification form in relation to application equipment as well as Annexes II III, IV, V and VI. Likewise, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty should be delegated to the Commission to supplement this Regulation by specifying precise criteria in relation to certain factors regarding unmanned aircraft, once technical progress and scientific developments allow for the development of such precise criteria. It is of particular importance that the Commission carries out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Inter-institutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making 76 . In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States’ experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts.
(45) In order to assess whether this Regulation reaches its objectives effectively and efficiently, is coherent and still relevant and provides added value at Union level the Commission should carry out an evaluation of this Regulation.
(46) In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of the provisions of this Regulation on the entries to be made by professional users in the electronic integrated pest management and plant protection product use register, for the summary and analysis by the competent authorities of the information in that register and provision of information on acute poisoning incidents and chronic poisoning, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council 77 .
(47) The implementation of this Regulation by Member States will result in new and enhanced obligations for farmers and other pesticides users. Some of them constitute statutory management requirements and standards of good agricultural and environmental conditions of land as listed in Annex III to Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council 78 , which, in accordance with that Regulation, farmers must comply with to receive CAP payments, whereas other requirements, which go beyond the baseline of mandatory requirements, may be rewarded with additional payments under voluntary regimes like eco-schemes pursuant to Article 31 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115. Article 31(5), points (a) and (b), and Article 70(3), points (a) and (b), of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 provide that the CAP funding is only available for practices implemented under an eco-scheme or agri-environmental-climate commitment which go beyond the relevant statutory management requirements and the standards of good agricultural and environmental conditions of land established under that Regulation and the relevant minimum requirements for the use of fertiliser and plant protection products, animal welfare, as well as other relevant mandatory requirements established by national and Union law. Since farmers and other users need to be financially supported in their transition toward a more sustainable use of pesticides, Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 needs to be amended to allow the financing of requirements imposed in accordance with this Regulation during a transitional period. This exceptional option for Member States to provide additional funding for measures taken in implementing this Regulation should apply to any obligation for farmers and other users resulting from the application of this Regulation, including compulsory farming practices imposed by the crop-specific rules for integrated pest management. Further, pursuant to Article 73(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, investments by farmers to comply with new requirements imposed by Union law may be supported for a maximum of 24 months from the date on which they become mandatory for the holding. Similarly, a longer transition period should be set out for investments complying with requirements imposed on farmers in accordance with this Regulation. Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(48) The application of this Regulation should be deferred in order to allow competent authorities and operators to prepare for the requirements introduced by it.