In 2013, EFSA published the Bee Guidance Document. It was intended to provide guidance for notifiers and authorities in the context of the review of plant protection products (PPPs) and their active substances. The document suggested a tiered risk assessment scheme with a simple and cost-effective first tier to more complex higher tier studies under field conditions. Each of the tiers had to ensure that the appropriate level of protection is achieved.
The European Commission asked EFSA to revise the existing guidance document to cover the risk assessment of plant protection products and bees, covering honey bees, bumble bees and solitary bees. The Commission asked EFSA to take fully into account new scientific knowledge that has emerged since 2013 and to closely involve EU experts and interested parties in the process to ensure that all views are taken into account.
According to the mandate, EFSA has prepared a revised draft guidance document which is submitted to the public consultation together with the data, analysis and background information that have formed the science behind the review.
Comments are especially welcome on the novel approaches for risk assessment and statistical analysis of field studies that are included in the draft guidance.
To ensure that all interested parties have an opportunity to participate, the consultation will last 12 weeks. At several points during the review process, EFSA has consulted stakeholders and Member States on important aspects of the updated advice.
Interested parties are invited to submit comments on the draft document and its supplementary information via the dedicated consultation pages. The deadline for comments is 3 October 2022.
Photo: Bumblebee