Evaluation of the emergency authorisations granted by Member State Latvia for plant protection products containing clothianidin or thiamethoxam

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was requested by the European Commission to provide technical assistance in accordance with Article 53(2) of Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009 to examine the two emergency authorisations granted in 2017 by competent national authority in Latvia for plant protection products containing the neonicotinoid active substances (a.s.) clothianidin or thiamethoxam for uses on spring oilseed rape that were restricted in accordance with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 485/2013. In particular, EFSA was asked to assess whether the granting of these emergency authorisations and their wide scope were necessary because a danger which cannot be contained by any other reasonable means. In this context, EFSA collected and evaluated the information in relation to the emergency authorisations for clothianidin and thiamethoxam in Latvia in line with the EFSA insecticide protocol developed in the framework of a mandate concerning the application of Article 4(7) of Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009. The current Technical Report summarises the outcome of the evaluation of one crop/pest combination considered in Latvia. The evaluation demonstrated that for the granted emergency authorisations on spring oilseed rape/Phyllotreta spp. no sufficient alternative a.s. to clothianidin and thiamethoxam is currently authorised in Latvia to provide an alternative mode of action. The evaluation included an assessment of non-insecticide alternatives for the presented uses. Although some non-insecticidal methods are available, they do not have the same efficacy as chemical methods, or present some technical or cultural limitations.