Crop Protection Industry Launches Global Transparency InitiativeNews Release 26th March 2018Providing better access to safety dataToday, as part of a global voluntary commitment, CropLife International member companies andECPA’s 23 member companies affirmed their commitment to enable more public access to safetydata related to their products. This initiative stems from the industry’s commitment to transparency,responsibility and sustainability.
The commitment is a response to a clear demand from society to make the safety data more easilyaccessible to the public, to provide greater transparency, and to increase trust in the approvalprocess. Access to safety data for non-commercial purposes will be provided by the individualcompanies.
“We have heard the concerns voiced by society. We want people to see that we are really listeningand taking action to address their concerns. This was an obvious step. We want consumers andpoliticians to see that we have nothing to hide.” – said Jean-Philippe Azoulay, Director General ofEuropean Crop Protection Association ECPA.
“With this initiative we are taking an important step in providing the public with better access tosafety-relevant data about crop protection products”, said Howard Minigh, President and CEO ofCropLife International. “The initiative is aimed at promoting transparency and demonstrating theunprecedented high safety standards required for crop protection products’ registration. As aresponsible industry we want to have an open dialogue with the public so they can make informeddecisions about safety of crop protection products and understand the commitment of regulatorsand industry to the health of people and environmental protection.”
We are committed to continue to proactively engage in conversations with all stakeholders toexplain the existing regulatory process and the safety, efficacy and benefits of crop protectionproducts. As part of the initiative a website has been launched to explain what regulatory data isneeded to register a pesticide and where to find that data. The website also explains what is meantby confidential business information (CBI) and how CBI facilitates the development of sustainablecrop protection innovations.Learn more about the initiative on the dedicated CropLife International website and ECPA websiteNotes to Editor:1. ECPA members are: Adama, BASF, Bayer, Corteva Agriscience (Agriculture Division of DowDuPont), FMC, Monsanto,Syngenta, Albaugh, Arysta LifeScience, Belchim, Certis, De Sangosse, Gowan, Helm, ISK Biosciences, Janssen, MitsuiChemicals, Nufarms, SBM, Sipcam, Sumitomo, Taminco, UPL.
2. Here is ECPA member company statement in full:The commitment:ECPA member companies are among the world’s leading developers of crop protection solutions which enable farmers toproduce food for a growing world in a safe and environmentally sustainable way.While the product authorisation process is the essential assurance to farmers and consumers that crop protection productsmeet the highest standards for safety, efficacy and quality, the effective transparency of safety data submitted to regulatoryagencies can further enhance public confidence and strengthen the understanding of the stringent safety standards of cropprotection products, as well as enhance trust in the product authorization process.ECPA member companies are committed to increased transparency of safety data in order to better engage in dialog withsociety to increase understanding and build trust. As a first step, ECPA and CropLife International and its member companiesare developing straightforward ways to enable non-commercial access to safety-relevant information.In addition, CropLife International is developing an industry website to provide additional context and backgroundinformation, as well as links to transparency initiatives of its member companies.
3. ECPA represents the crop protection industry in Europe. Our members develop innovative and science-based solutionsthat keep crops healthy and contribute to provide Europeans a safe, affordable, healthy, and sustainable food supply.The European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) represents the crop protection industry interests atEuropean level. Its members include all major companies and national associations across Europe. For moreinformation: www.ecpa.eu
Contact:Graeme Taylor, European Crop Protection Association, aisbl,Switchboard : +32 (0)2 663 1550,Graeme.taylor@ecpa.eu; +44 7920 145030For more general information:www.ecpa.eu – facebook.com/cropprotection – twitter.com/cropprotection