- 29/05/2026
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
EU and GB pesticide approval changes in 2025
Review of EU and GB pesticide approval changes during 2025 During 2025, the European Commission (EC) published 97 changes to plant protection product (PPP) approvals within the European Union (EU). These include 43 changes concerning substances that are of importance for African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) horticulture. Great Britain (GB) has published 55 changes to PPP approvals involving 23 changes concerning substances that are of importance for ACP horticulture. How will ACP producers/exporters be affected? Many of these changes to EU regulations involve the loss of approval, so that a substance can no longer be used within the EU. This may be due to non-approval, withdrawal of approval or expiration of approval. Loss of approval is generally followed by a change to the maximum residue levels (MRLs), which are likely to be reduced to the limit of determination (LoD). In most cases, when an MRL is reduced to the LoD, the substance can no longer be used on crops for export to the EU. The implications are the same when there is a loss of GB authorisation. What should ACP producers/exporters do now? If you currently use one of the PPPs affected on crops destined for the EU or GB market, you need to ensure that the current Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) allow you to comply with new MRLs in these countries, or start looking as early as possible for alternative crop protection solutions. If any of these changes are likely to cause you significant problems, and you fear being left without effective and available alternatives, please contact COLEAD at: network@colead.link We will keep you informed as more information becomes available. If you require more frequent updates on PPP approval changes in the EU, we invite you to visit our AGRINFO website and subscribe to the bi-monthly newsletter on EU regulations. |
Following the UK departure from the EU, the PPP approvals for GB have been following a different review process since January 2021. Note that EU approvals still apply in Northern Ireland. Great Britain is the mainland comprising England, Scotland and Wales.
COLEAD’s regulation monitoring now covers both EU and GB approval changes, enabling us to keep our members and partner-beneficiaries up-to-date.
In this news, ‘key active substances’ refers to those used/registered in one or more ACP countries on horticultural crops that are frequently exported regionally or internationally. This criteria is based on information extracted from the latest national lists of registered plant protection products provided by 34 ACP countries. To confirm if your country is included, please refer to the list here. If your country is not listed, we highly recommend reaching out to your national authorities. While COLEAD makes every effort to provide comprehensive information about EU and GB PPP regulatory changes, it is possible that some PPPs or crops relevant to you are not included in our list of key substances/crops. We recommend that you review Table 1, which gives details on all changes in 2025, to check for any others that could affect you. If you see any PPP that you use on crops for export to the EU or GB in the lists below, we recommend that you check the regulation itself using the link provided.
Key changes of approvals in the EU in 2025
In the European Union (EU), 97 changes to EU PPP approvals were introduced in 2025 involving, renewals and non-renewals, as well as changes to conditions of approval. These included changes affecting the following 6 substances that are key in ACP horticulture:
- 1-methylcyclopropene (changes of approval conditions – expiry date: 31 July 2034)
- Flufenacet (non-renewal of approval – expiry date: 10 June 2025)
- Rape seed oil (renewal of approval as low-risk – expiry date: 31 October 2040)
- Penthiopyrad (non-renewal of approval – expiry date: 31 October 2025)
- Milbemectin (renewal of approval – expiry date: 15 November 2040)
- Gibberellic acid (renewal of approval as low-risk – expiry date: 31 December 2040)
The approval changes for 37 other key substances refer to an extension of the approval period to allow a full review of applications for renewal of approval (see table 1). Table 1 shows all changes to PPP approvals introduced in the EU in 2025.
Changes of approval in GB in 2025
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has introduced 37 changes to GB plant protection product (PPP) approvals in 2025 involving, approvals and non-renewals. These included changes affecting the following 14 substances that are key in ACP horticulture :
- Withdrawal of the approval of metaflumizole (expiry date : 31/12/2024)
- Withdrawal of the approval chromafenozide (expiry date: 31/03/2025)
- Withdrawal of the approval of gamma-cyhalothrin (expiry date: 31/03/2025)
- Withdrawal of the approval of benalaxyl-M (expiry date: 30/04/2025)
- Withdrawal of the approval of malathion (expiry date: 30/04/2025)
- Withdrawal of the approval of Bacillus pumilus QST 2808 (expiry date: 31/08/2025)
- Withdrawal of the approval of calcium carbide (expiry date: 31/08/2025)
- Withdrawal of the approval of dodemorph (expiry date: 31/08/2025)
- Expiration of the approval of ethylene (expiry date: 31/08/2025)
- Withdrawal of the approval of sodium o-nitrophenolate (expiry date: 31/10/2025)
- Withdrawal of the approval of sodium p-nitrophenolate (expiry date: 31/10/2025)
- Withdrawal of the approval of flumetralin (expiry date: 11/12/2025)
- Withdrawal of the approval of fenpyrazamine (expiry date: 31/12/2025)
- Approval of Aqueous extract from the germinated seeds of sweet Lupinus albus (BLAD) (expiry date: 08/12/2040)
In addition, extensions of approvals were published for 17 PPPs in the GB approvals register (see table 2).
If you require additional information, or face particular problems as a result of these changes, please contact COLEAD at: network@colead.link.
This publication has been developped by the Fit For Market Plus programme, implemented by COLEAD within the framework of Development cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), and the European Union (EU). This publication has been produced with the financial support of the EU and the OACPS. Its contents are the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the EU or the OACPS.
