Overview
- The Nationale Akademie der Wissenschaften Leopoldina on Tuesday publicly rejected the European Commission's draft and urged the German government to oppose it at EU level.
- The Commission's proposal would stop fixed reauthorisation periods for active pesticide substances and let products whose approval ends be sold or used for three years instead of 1.5 years.
- Leopoldina warns the change would eliminate routine, time‑bound reviews that capture new evidence and said at least 165 active substances have lost approval since 2009 after such reassessments.
- The Commission frames the package as a move to cut red tape, speed procedures and boost competitiveness but commentators say it could keep problematic products on the market longer and reduce incentives to develop safer alternatives.
- The plan now faces political and technical debate in Brussels and member states with immediate items to watch including Germany's government response, EU negotiating timetables and whether lawmakers require maintained periodic reviews or tighter transition rules; reporting notes past controversies such as the 2025 retraction of a 2000 glyphosate study as central to the risk arguments.