35th Meeting of the Working Party on Plant Protection Products

Skopje, 2005-05-18/20

 

 

The 35th  Meeting of the Working Party on Plant Protection Products took place in Skopje on 18-20 May 2005, at the kind invitation of the Macedonian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy. The Macedonian hosts, Mr Veić and his colleagues, received 22 participants from 16 EPPO countries and ECPA with warm hospitality and ensured that the participants had the opportunity not only to conduct their official business but also to learn something of the agriculture, environment and touristic beauty of the country. A visit to the new facilities of the State Phytosanitary Laboratory, to an agrochemical company and to historic buildings in Skopje was organized. In the evening, participants had the opportunity to enjoy wonderful food and wine in one of the famous restaurants in the hills outside Skopje.

 

This EPPO Working Party directs and supervises the technical work of many EPPO Panels concerned with the registration of plant protection products. The report of the meeting prepared for the information of EPPO Council and Executive Committee presents in greater detail the discussions, decisions and recommendations which were made by the Working Party; some of major points are summarized here.

 

 

 

EPPO Standards for approval

The following EPPO standards in the series PP1 on efficacy evaluation of plant protection products are to be submitted to the Executive Committee and Council of EPPO in September 2005 for definitive approval and publication.

General standards on efficacy evaluation:

  • Taint tests with plant protection products
  • Effects of plant protection products on transformation processes
  • Dose expression of plant protection products
  • Guidance on comparable climates.
  • Harmonized basic information for databases on plant protection products

 

Specific standards on efficacy evaluation: Eyespot of cereals (revised PP 1/28); Aphid vectors of barley yellow dwarf virus (revised PP 1/70); Flea beetles on flax; Aphids on maize; Secondary bunch rots on grapevine; Soil pest complex of beet (it replaces PP 1/45); Regulation of growth in ornamental plants: pre-harvest applications (revision PP 1/157) and Regulation of growth in ornamental plants: post-harvest or ‘in-store’ applications.

 

Specific standards on efficacy evaluation of herbicides were returned to the Panel on Efficacy Evaluation of Herbicides and PGRs, because the actual text in Appendix 1 on Varietal sensitivity trials needs to be rediscussed. The Panel’s proposal for drafting a separate standard on Varietal sensitivity trials was supported.

 

EPPO’s position on comparable climates

In view of the fact that the EU Commission is proposing to divide the EU territory into three zones for the purpose of authorization of plant protection products, the Working Party wished that, after the meeting, the Commission and the Member States are informed about the new draft standard on comparable climates, which should be taken into account in deciding future arrangements for mutual recognition.

 

Classification of uses of plant protection products

The Working Party was informed on the progress made by the ad hoc Panel on harmonization of data on plant protection products.

 

Programme of Activity

The Working Party realized that the whole programme of activity centres around the creation and revision of general and specific standards on efficacy evaluation. This task is very important and a large amount of work is needed. A number of new specific standards, in particular concerning Mediterranean crop/pest combinations, is proposed. The Working Party re-considered its future activities with the possible expansion into other areas of plant protection. The Working Party also had a possibility to discuss the document on the strategic actions and objectives of the Organization for the next 5 years, which was based on the recommendations from the meeting Workshop for Heads of NPPOs on the Future of EPPO (Sochi, RU, 2004-06-08/11).

 

Discussion led to the position that the ad hoc Panel on Resistance Risk Assessment should continue its work and become a permanent Panel. The Working Party also wondered what would be the consequences of the revision of Directive 91/414 on EPPO Standards on Good Plant Protection Practice and suggested to discuss it at the next meeting.