EU Researchers Warn of 'Forever Pesticides' as Germany Eases Rodenticide Rules
20.06.2026 - 16:31:44 | boerse-global.de
A coalition of scientists from 27 European research institutions has sounded the alarm over proposed changes to EU pesticide approval rules, warning that removing mandatory periodic re-evaluations could lock hazardous substances onto the market indefinitely. Their intervention, published June 19 in the journal Science, comes as Germany simultaneously extends deadlines for professional rat poison training while banning preventative baiting.
Similar concerns apply to the hazardous substances used in your own workplace. Failing to assess risks under COSHH regulations can lead to enforcement action and significant fines. The free COSHH Risk Assessment Toolkit provides 43 ready-to-use templates and checklists that help you identify every dangerous substance and document compliance properly. Download the free COSHH Risk Assessment Toolkit
The EU Commission's Omnibus Package X would scrap the current requirement to reassess pesticide active substances every ten years. Without regular reviews, the researchers argue, new scientific evidence about environmental or health risks would never be considered. Since 2011, 59 active substances have failed to win re-approval through the standard process — a track record the scientists say justifies the existing framework.
Beyond the re-evaluation change, the Commission also proposes shifting the burden of proof from industry to regulators and extending the grace period for selling off banned products from 18 months to three years. Instead of weakening safeguards, the researchers propose investing €15 million annually over three years to clear the pesticide-approval backlog.
The COREPER committee, representing EU member states, failed to reach a majority on a compromise text on June 19, delaying the next stage of Trilog negotiations with the European Parliament.
On the national level, Germany's Bundesrat has approved significant deadline extensions for rodenticide use. The mandatory certificate of competence for rat control, originally required by July 28, 2027, now must be obtained by July 28, 2030. The extension stems from a severe capacity crunch: an estimated 250,000-plus businesses need training, and organisers could not have provided enough courses by the earlier cutoff. Officials feared that without the extra time, pest-control bottlenecks would create hygiene risks.
Yet a separate new restriction takes effect much sooner. From July 1, 2026, so-called "preventative permanent baiting" is banned — that is, laying rodenticides in the absence of a confirmed infestation. The rule aims to protect non-target wildlife and slow the development of resistance. Parallel to this, authorities are finalising the revised Technical Rule for Hazardous Substances (TRGS 541) covering professional use.
With new regulations for rodenticides and other hazardous substances coming into force, having the right compliance tools is essential. Over 37,000 UK businesses already use this free toolkit to simplify their COSHH risk assessments with 43 pre-made templates, checklists, and toolbox talks — saving hours of preparation while staying on the right side of the law. Get the free COSHH Risk Assessment Toolkit
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) released a draft deregulation bill on June 19 that would double the re-certification interval for plant-protection competence from three to six years. The proposal also drops several reporting obligations in the Food and Feed Code (LFGB) and the Federal Veterinary Surgeons' Ordinance. For industrial hemp cultivation, the requirement to notify authorities during collective applications would be eliminated. On ecological schemes for grazing and biotope networks, the ministry intends to forgo new requirements for the current EU funding period.
The net effect is a regulatory zigzag: stricter controls on rodenticide placement arriving quickly, while training deadlines, pesticide re-evaluation cycles, and plant-protection bureaucracy all see loosening. Whether European-level negotiations resume soon remains uncertain after the COREPER deadlock.
