Proposals Put Forward by the Commission Already
France's Parliamentary Committee is deliberating on the re-authorization of the neonicotinoid pesticide, acetamiprid, for several crops, including sugar beet and hazelnuts. The substance, banned in France since 2020 due to its negative impact on pollinating insects, has been a topic of debate due to potential health and environmental implications.
Acetamiprid's re-authorization has sparked concerns, particularly regarding developmental neurotoxicity and its potential impact on the brain. Environmental groups, such as PAN Europe and Générations Futures, have raised alarms based on recent scientific evidence, citing at least 16 peer-reviewed studies from the last two years suggesting that acetamiprid may harm brain development. This includes the pesticide’s potential to affect neurological functions, raising significant public health concerns.
The presence of acetamiprid or its metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid, which bathes the brain and spinal cord, is a matter of concern. Although specific studies have not explicitly mentioned this finding, the implications of neurotoxicity suggest potential systemic exposure and bioaccumulation in neural tissues, raising concerns about their impact on brain-related tissues during development.
Acetamiprid is also criticized for its ecological impact, notably on pollinators like bees, which are crucial for biodiversity and agriculture. This contributes to the opposition against its re-approval, as pollinator health is a significant environmental and agricultural concern.
Acetamiprid has been banned in France since 2018 for agricultural use but remains authorized in Europe until 2033. This regulatory divide has caused tensions, with French agricultural sectors like hazelnut growers urging for re-authorization to avoid competitive disadvantages seen in neighboring countries where acetamiprid use is permitted. Parliamentary debate over the re-authorization has been contentious, with opposition lawmakers filing thousands of amendments to delay or block the legislation.
The economic implications of market uncertainty surrounding acetamiprid's authorization affect feed costs and agricultural economics, particularly in sectors reliant on crops like sugar beet pulp. The back-and-forth on pesticide policy translates into economic instability for farmers and feed suppliers.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has not fundamentally changed its last evaluation, which led to the authorization of the product. However, the latest report published in May 2024 acknowledges "major uncertainties in the range of neurodevelopmental toxicity evidence" of acetamiprid. This comes as France submitted new data justifying the prohibition of this substance to the European Commission on two occasions, in 2020 and 2022. Nonetheless, the European agency's evaluation remains in favor of the product's re-authorization.
These contentious debates highlight a broader conflict between public health and environmental precautions versus agricultural competitiveness and regulatory harmonization across Europe.
The concerns surrounding the re-authorization of acetamiprid extend beyond agriculture, as scientific research links the pesticide to potential developmental neurotoxicity and brain development issues, particularly in relation to the exposure of neural tissues (health-and-wellness, science). Additionally, environmental groups have raised alarms about the pesticide's ecological impact on pollinators and the broader environment, questioning its re-approval (medical-conditions, environmental-science).
