130+ organisations urge von der Leyen to strengthen enforcement of EU pesticide law

28 October 2025

SAFE and more than 130 other European civil society, scientific, water, and farming organisations warn that the EU pesticide legislation is poorly implemented. Together, we have co-signed a letter to call on European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen to fully enforce the legislation. There are many loopholes that delay action and dangerous pesticides remain on the market for years, damaging human health, water and biodiversity. The simplification omnibus would only worsen the situation with exemptions for highly hazardous pesticides and longer transition periods for banned substances.

SAFE strongly opposes any attempt to accelerate the approval of synthetic pesticides or other products that would weaken the precautionary principle and lower food safety and environmental protection standards.