Biocontrol companies demand a legal framework for authorization that does not diminish the competitiveness of biotechnological innovation developed in Europe
Streamlining the community registration processes that are currently required to allow the marketing of a new product aimed at the control of agricultural pests and diseases has been the main demand expressed by IBMA Spain during the debate organized by the Socialist MEP Clara Aguilera, who held last Friday at the European Parliament office in Spain, around the content of the future European Regulation for the Sustainable Use of Phytosanitary Products (SUR).
IBMA Spain, represented by its committee, stressed to Aguilera the urgent need to reduce the registration procedures for the commercialization of new biological solutions that allow European farmers to have alternative tools to conventional crop protection products that are progressively being withdrawn from the market.
Innovation made in Europe
During her speech in the debate, Marisé Borja, representing IBMA, recalled that biotechnological innovation in Europe is in serious danger of being blocked as a result of excessive bureaucracy, while in other non-EU countries, such as Brazil, a new Biological solution receives marketing authorization after passing a registration process that does not last more than two years. “The Commission, through the “From Farm to Fork” strategy, proposes an ecological transition based on the reduction of chemicals and the promotion of biological control, but if nothing is done to facilitate the placing on the market of the biological solutions that we already have on the waiting list, it will be very difficult to guarantee the sustainability objectives in agriculture in Europe”, said Borja, who explained that “if the registration processes are not streamlined, we are going to find many biotechnological innovations developed in Europe that cannot be used for the benefit of EU producers”.
IBMA Spain also expressed its interest in not delaying the approval of the European Regulation for the Sustainable Use of Phytosanitary Products, because this regulation will provide legal support for the development of biocontrol in Europe. If the worst omens are finally confirmed and the regulation is not approved before the end of the current legislature of the European Parliament in 2024, the entire process of political debate will have to start from scratch. “If we don’t have this very important regulation for the future of biocontrol in Europe soon, we will lose a historic opportunity.”
IBMA: biocontrol in Spain
IBMA Spain is a state-wide association that represents and defends the interests of companies in the biotechnology sector applied to agriculture that promote the use of biocontrol to combat pests and diseases, as it is a 100% sustainable method, harmless to the health of the living beings and respectful of natural resources.
Biocontrol, or biological control, is defined as the use of natural technologies (directly or identical if synthetic) and including the conscious use of living organisms to control pests and diseases in agricultural and ornamental crops, is a key ecosystem resource for the sustainable production of agriculture, in which the natural enemies of pests and diseases are used to reduce populations, suppress them or mitigate their damage.
The IBMA Spain association is made up of a total of 26 companies that produce and market all kinds of biological solutions applied to all types of agricultural and ornamental crops present in Spain, both protected and outdoors: Agrobío, Andermatt Iberia SL, Biobest Sistemas Biológicos SL, BIOMIP, CBC Iberia SAU-Biogard, Certis Europe BV branch for Spain and Portugal, Daymsa, Sanidad Agrícola Econex SL, GMW Bioscience SL, Gowan Española Fitosanitarios SL, IDEBIO, Kenogard, Koppert Spain , Manica Cobre SL, OpenNatur, SEDQ, Suterra, Symborg, Syngenta, Syntech Research Spain, Trichodex SL, UPL Iberia, NUFARM, Vali Consulting GmbH, and Lainco.
