Euro MP: UK Government failed us on bee vote

29 April 2013

 

IT looks likely that a continent-wide suspension of neonocotinod pesticide use will come into force after a vote by the European Union.

The ban on the pesticides, which are linked to the decline in bee populations across the continent, is backed by the European Food Safety Authority.

Despite intense lobbying from the pesticide industry a majority of European countries voted in favour of the ban which the European Commission will now press ahead with.

The United Kingdom voted against the suspension.

Reacting to the vote Green Party MEP Keith Taylor said:

“It’s great news that Europe is set to go ahead with a suspension of neonicotinoid use but it’s no thanks to the reckless actions of the UK government.

“Despite a growing body of evidence on the serious impact of these pesticides on bees, the UK Government has, once again, failed to support a suspension of their use.

Instead of defending the short-term interests of the agro-chemical industry, the British Government should have prioritised reversing the decline in our bee populations and voted in favour of a suspension.

For Greens, this suspension is only a first step. We want a complete ban of all neonicotinoids to prevent the collapse of bee colonies as only a full ban will stop the exposure of non-target insects to the persistent, systemic compounds that stay in the soil and find their way to nectar and pollen over many years.”

The Commission’s proposal to suspend the use of 3 neonicotinoids came on  the back of reports from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on the toxicity risk to bees of the neonicotinoid insecticides.

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