Sub-Group “Agriculture and Environment” 10.1 State of affairs of the “Strategy for a sustainable use of pesticides” Christian Heidorn, Eurostat F3 Meeting of the Sub-Group “Agriculture and Environment” of the Agricultural Statistics Committee and the “Environment and sustainable development” Joint Eurostat/EFTA Working Party Meeting of 29 and 30 October 2003

Background DG ENV introduced the proposed Strategy; 19 May Workshop DG ENV introduced the proposed Strategy; Pointed out data requirements for the implementation; Better data on pesticides usage at Active Ingredient level for the calculation of risk based indicators, codes of best practises for IPM / ICM; Discussion: “massive surveys” too burdensome, better “tailor made” sample surveys; Make sure that statisticians are involved when setting up reporting systems.

Follow - up Inter-services working group for the development of the Thematic Strategy ( 24 July, 29 September, … ): Eurostat reported based on the outcome of the May workshop; “Potential Elements of the Thematic Strategy on the sustainable Use of Pesticides and the Way forward in its Development”, main elements for our work: Measure progress in risk reduction: Develop indicators based on reliable use data; To obtain this data: Establish a legally binding data collection instrument.

Follow - up (2) Inter-services working group for the development of the Thematic Strategy ( 24 July, 29 September, … ): Eurostat is expected to centralise those data and publish aggregated reports; Eurostat’s proposed options are discussed: 1) mandatory logbook keeping at all farms and representative sample survey based on these records; 2) (voluntary) statistical samples every three or four years, consider existing systems (FADN, FSS, TAPAS …)

Next steps Short - term Extended Impact Assessment of the proposed Strategy, done by an external consultant; Analyse the proposed way to implement data collection; Includes estimate of the administrative burden; Evaluation of the roles of Member States and Commission; This Group will be involved: Steering Committee.

Next steps (2) Longer - term in 2004: ‘White Paper’; End 2004: Adoption of the Strategy; Development of legal instruments.