Improving the Authorization of Microbial Biological Control Products (MBCP) in the European Union within the EU Green Deal Framework

Abstract

Developing sustainable agriculture by identifying non-chemical alternative Plant Protection Products (PPP) is a cornerstone in achieving long-sought environmental friendliness. Despite significant legislative and political efforts to promote biocontrol solutions and Integrated Pest Management (IPM), the literature points out the disadvantages posed by European Union’s (EU) two-tier system for Microbial Biological Control Agents (MBCA) approval and subsequent Microbial Biological Control Products (MBCP) authorization by each EU Member State (MS). Despite the disadvantages, in a recent article, we showed that the EU had outcompeted the US and other countries in approved MBCA in the last decades; however, MBCP approval at the national level lags. Achieving the EU Green Deal’s aim set out in the ‘Farm to Fork Strategy’ to reduce the use and risk of pesticides by 50% by 2030 is difficult without developing viable alternatives. Why do we not have higher MBCP availability and usage in the EU? Is it the current legislation, its poor application, or some other factors? The current legislative framework stimulated MBCA approval. Thus, we compare MBCA approval and MBCP authorization procedure to evaluate if MBCP authorization is more difficult and thus causes a bottleneck. We find that requirements for MBCP authorization are unnecessarily more complex. We recommend simplifying the MBCP dossier requirements and making them as similar to MBCA as possible to accelerate the MBCP authorization in more EU MS to increase their availability and integration in agronomic crops’ pest management plans.

The Development of Sustainable Agriculture in EU Countries and the Potential Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals Specific Targets (SDG 2)

“…Equally important is the EU environmental pact set out in the "Farm-to-Fork Strategy" to reduce pesticide use by 50% by 2030, which is a difficult strategy to implement. This is the main reason why it is recommended to simplify the MBCP dossier requirements in several EU Member States to increase their availability and integration into agricultural pest management plans [44,45].…”

The Potential of Wild Yeasts as Promising Biocontrol Agents against Pine Canker Diseases

“…As part of this, the Commission proposes reducing chemical pesticides usage by 50% by 2030. In this context, pest control with biocontrol agents has high potential and alternatives, which can be incorporated into sustainable pest control practices in agronomy and forestry [ 3 , 4 ].…”

Role of Crop-Protection Technologies in Sustainable Agricultural Productivity and Management

“…The challenges brought on by climate change have now joined those that everyone has previously experienced year after year [22][23][24][25][26]. As climate change and environmental degradation in general are now high on the global agenda, the impact of agriculture and agricultural management on the environment is constantly being examined and studied [27][28][29], while the objective of reducing the environmental and climate footprint of the European Union (EU) food system has become part of the Green Deal (GD) [28,30].…”

“…Thus, the field of nanotechnology is within the studied field and has gained particular interest in the ag- Among the areas of research that have received the most attention is the increasingly intensive use of chemical pesticides to control pests, which unfortunately can remain in the soil for decades after application and pose serious health risks [33][34][35][36]. Integrated pest management (IPM) and the use of biocontrol solutions are experiencing wider acceptance by citizens and research investments, as new alternative ways to achieve sustainable control solutions [28,[37][38][39][40].…”