Omnibus X offers a vital chance to fix a system that no longer works
As CropLife Europe marks its five‑year anniversary, the organisation warns that the EU’s crop protection toolbox continues to shrink, leaving farmers with 89 fewer active substances than in 2019, and 500 fewer than in 2001.
One approval this year does little to change the picture, the association argues, as Europe’s needs remain unmet.
“This is not a turning point. It is a reminder of how far behind we are,” said Olivier de Matos, Director General of CropLife Europe.
“Farmers cannot manage rising climate volatility with a toolbox that keeps getting smaller. We need an EU framework that reflects agronomic needs and ensures the availability of new crop protection solutions is properly assessed before existing solutions are removed from the EU market.”
CropLife Europe says lengthy approval delays are holding back dozens of modern solutions, putting productivity and food security at risk. “Farmers are doing everything asked of them, from Integrated Pest Management to digital tools and rotation,” de Matos said. “But even the best IPM plan fails when essential tools are missing. A sustainable food system needs biological, digital and, when necessary, conventional tools that are safe, effective and available on time.”
De Matos added that the Omnibus proposal offers a genuine opportunity to correct these structural delays. “Simplification is not lowering standards. It is making a high-quality system function as intended so innovation reaches the field when farmers need it.”
Notes to Editor:
- There are currently around 421 approved active substances in the EU.
- The EPPO guideline PP 1/271(1) recommends using at least two modes of action for low resistance risk, three for medium risk, and four for high risk.
- The DLR — the Rhineland-Palatinate government body for rural education and advisory services in Germany performed an analysis on shortages of crop protection products per crop in Germany showing many shortages.
- 200 renewal procedures ongoing, almost half are delayed for 5 years or more (some active substances even > 10 years delay) as mentioned by DG SANTE official in a public event February 2026.
- The SCoPAFF meeting of 20- 21 January 2026 included one new active substance application presented for an opinion. The voting results suggest it’s approved.
- The continuing backlog of pending applications highlights persistent structural delays in the EU approval system. It reinforces the need for regulatory simplification under the Omnibus proposal while keeping high safety standards.
Background: https://croplifeeurope.eu/farmers-toolbox/