Approval of active substances

Content:

Active substances in plant protection products are assessed commonly in the EU. In order for a plant protection product to be authorised nationally, the active substance in the product must first be approved at EU level.

The assessment of active substances is done in accordance with the principles and criteria in the EU Plant Protection Products Regulation. The active substances that are assessed to be acceptable from a health and environmental perspective are listed in an implementing regulation to the EU Regulation on Plant Protection Products. The list can be found in Regulation (EU) No 540/2011on approved active substances.

Active substances are approved for a limited period of time, after which they are to be assessed again. You can find information about active substances and how long a substance is approved in the EU Pesticide Database.

Application and assessment

If you want to apply for approval for a new active substance in a plant protection product, information on how to do is available from the EU Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection.

Go to the EU Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection website External link.

Each active substance for which a company applies for approval is assessed by a designated member state. All member states have the opportunity to comment on the assessments. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) compiles a report that is submitted to the European Commission. Then the member states vote on whether or not a substance is to be approved. Reports on the risk assessments of substances are found on the EFSA website.

Go to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) website External link.

Low-risk active substances

If the EU evaluation of an active substance reveals that the substance presents considerable less risk than other substances, the substance may be approved as a low-risk active substance. A low-risk active substance shall, among others, meet the specific criteria set out in Annex II to the Plant Protection Products Regulation, in addition to the basic requirements for approving active substances. Low-risk active substances may be approved for a maximum period of 15 years already at the first approval, instead of 10 years which normally applies. When an approval is renewed, all active substances can get an approval period of up to 15 years.

Active substances that have been approved as low-risk substances are listed separately in the list of approved active substances in Regulation (EU) No 540/2011. The substances can also be found listed in the EU Pesticide database. The EU Commission has also published a preliminary list of substances, that are expected to meet the requirements for low-risk active substances, based on the new criteria.

Non-renewal of approval of active substances

On our website you can find information on active substances that have not received a renewed approval in the EU. Only active substances that are of relevance for the Swedish market are included in the information. On the web page you can also find links to the EU decisions on non-renewal taken for each active substance.

Read more about the active substances with expiring approvals on our website (in Swedish)

Rules

Go to the plant protection products rules and regulations

Last published 30 March 2022