Plant protection products are comprehensively tested and safe in Austria
The highest possible protection of humans, animals and the environment is the primary task and goal of the scientific testing and approval of plant protection products. Following the European model, the scientific risk assessment and the legal risk management of the Federal Office for Food Safety, BAES, are separate and independent in the decision-making processes. This guarantees that, on the one hand, effective means of combating plant pests are available to agriculture and, on the other, that food safety and environmental protection are guaranteed. The current ACA report on the overall system of testing, approval and control by federal and provincial authorities also takes up recommendations on transparency and public information that have already been implemented or are being examined in the BAES' area of responsibility.
Risk management on the basis of scientific opinions
In Austria and the European Union (EU), strict authorization and control procedures for plant protection products are carried out according to uniform criteria. On the basis of comprehensive scientific risk assessments of the active substances and formulations of plant protection products in a joint EU procedure with the member states using state-of-the-art science and technology, the legal review in Austria is carried out by the national approval authority BAES. An authorization decision includes scientific opinions in the areas of human toxicology, ecotoxicology, environmental behaviour, residue behaviour (food), efficacy and phytotoxicity as well as physico-chemical properties. An authorization means that, according to the current state of scientific and technical knowledge, it is ensured that plant protection products have no direct or indirect harmful effects on human and animal health and no unacceptable effects on the environment when used as intended and properly.
Additional risk minimization at national level
Proper and appropriate use includes compliance with the indications and instructions for use prescribed by the BAES and stated on the label, as well as compliance with good agricultural practice, integrated pest management and the training of professional users. Risk management as part of the authorization procedure is carried out specifically for each indication. For this purpose, corresponding application regulations (e.g. drift reduction, distance requirements) are also made, which are intended to prevent carry-over as far as possible. The dosage/application rate (grams or kilograms per hectare) is included in the approval decision alongside other factors such as the properties of the active ingredient, the type of application and risk-reducing measures.
Transparent information on safe use
The results of these extensive safety tests can be transparently tracked on a daily basis in the Federal Office's public plant protection product register, together with the additional risk minimization measures issued by the approval authority (quantity used per hectare, distance requirements to bodies of water, etc.). Monitoring the application of these requirements is the responsibility of the legally responsible federal state authorities. The BAES trains professional users and sellers of plant protection products in DIY stores and garden centers with legal and technicalexpertise in the "Plant Protection Products Specialist Course". Specific restrictions also apply to the approval of plant protection products for the home and allotment garden sector. This ensures that these products can also be used safely by non-professional users.
Court of Audit recommendations on transparency will be followed up
The additional recommendations of the Austrian Court of Audit in the report"Pesticide use in agriculture" on transparency and public information in the overall system will be carefully analyzed and additionally implemented in the BAES area of responsibility in order to achieve greater transparency in the mapping of active substance approval and plant protection product approval procedures. In future, more information on the scientific and legal assessments will also be publicly available in addition to the contents of the plant protection product register. The separation of scientific risk assessment (AGES) and official risk management (BAES) is laid down in the Health and Food Safety Act (GESG) in accordance with European principles; a strict separation of personnel between risk assessment and risk management was already implemented in 2015 as part of the Future of Crop Production strategy process.