The European Commission has adopted standards for zero residues of two bee-damaging pesticides, including on imported food.
It is the first time that such a decision has been taken on the basis of environmental reasons, such as the protection of pollinating insects, rather than health reasons.
According to the evaluation of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the two pesticides, of the neonicotinoid class, represent a high risk for bees and contribute to the global decline of pollinators.
For this reason, their outdoor use was already banned in the EU in 2018. The new rules will lower the residue limits for these substances to the lowest level that can be measured.
They will apply to all EU and imported products.
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