1. 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

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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 …)

5. 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.

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