Guidance on bees and pesticides: work plan published

EFSA has outlined how it plans to review its guidance on the risk assessment  A specialised field of applied science that involves reviewing scientific data and studies in order to evaluate risks associated with certain hazards. It involves four steps: hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation. of pesticides and bees in the EU. As the outline shows, stakeholders and pesticide Substance used to kill or control pests, including disease-carrying organisms and undesirable insects, animals and plants. experts from Member States will be consulted regularly throughout the process.

The first consultation begins later this month, when stakeholders and Member State representatives will be asked for their views on the current guidance document.

Stakeholder feedback will be provided by a consultation group, comprising representatives of EFSA’s different stakeholder communities, that has been set up to support the revision of the guidance. Member States will be consulted through EFSA’s existing Pesticides Steering Network.

Gathering views on the existing guidance, published in 2013, is an important first step in EFSA’s review as highlighted in the mandate received from the European Commission. When the feedback has been gathered and analysed, EFSA’s scientific working group will begin its review.

A full public consultation and workshop will take place when the document has been drafted.

• Outline of the revision of the guidance of the risk assessment of plant protection products and bees (Figure 2/indicative time line updated in February 2020)