10th Meeting of the Panel on Harmonization of data on plant protection products
Brussels, 2020-03-03/04
The Panel on Harmonization of data on plant protection products (PPP) met in Brussels, at the European Commission premises, on 2020-03-03/04 to discuss the development of the EPPO Codes to describe the uses of PPP. Special thanks are due to Mr Williams and Mr Vorria, European Commission (DG Santé) for the excellent organization of this meeting and their detailed presentation of the PPP Application Management System (PPPAMS).
The main reasons to develop (non-taxonomic) EPPO Codes for PPP uses include the need for harmonized definitions of declared uses to facilitate communication among countries. This is of particular relevance to registration authorities for data exchange, e.g. for the EU in the framework of the mutual recognition and zonal assessment required in EU Regulation 1107/2009 and for the development of PPPAMS.
EPPO cooperation to develop EPPO Codes
The new developments in the framework of the EU - EPPO grant agreement to enhance the EPPO Code System to better meet the needs of the EU and EPPO countries and global needs were presented. The implementation, by the EPPO Secretariat, of the EPPO Codes in the EPPO Global Database (GD) was also presented to participants. The Codes agreed so far to describe the PPP uses are available in the EPPO Global Database 
and, with a different lay-out at ‘The EPPO PPP classification ’. DG Santé officials gave a presentation on PPPAMS explaining the objectives of the system and the procedure for submission of an application (zonal procedure) within PPPAMS. PPPAMS is automatically connected with EPPO GD and updated daily. The presentations were followed by a practical demonstration of PPPAMS with a detailed description of the different fields. A comprehensive online help is available including a useful video on how to use the EPPO Codes which was presented to the meeting participants.
Development of a harmonized classification to describe plant protection products uses
The Panel continued to discuss the classification of non-taxonomic Codes in the context of PPP efficacy evaluation and based on potential usefulness for registration purposes. The Panel refined the existing classification of Codes and finalized the classification for treated methods. The new Codes proposed this year by the Panel will be presented to the Working Party on PPP for approval and integration into the EPPO Global Database.
The Panel initiated the revision of EPPO Standard PP 1/248 Harmonized classification and coding of the uses of PPP to reflect the newly developed classification which will soon be finalized.
The next meeting of the Panel on Harmonization of data on PPP will take place in Paris, at EPPO headquarters, in March 2021.