A vineyard plot in Villeneuve, France, December 2, 2025. UGO AMEZ FOR LE MONDE
The European Commission unveiled its proposal to simplify food safety regulations on Tuesday, December 16. The omnibus legislative package, the 10th of its kind, marks the most significant change to the European system for regulating pesticides since the 2009 directive. The European Union's executive arm argued the bill would allow a more flexible approach, targeting the most hazardous substances while promoting the use of more sustainable products, and generating substantial savings for both member states and agrochemical companies.
The proposal from Brussels calls for granting most biocides and pesticides authorization without time limits. This would spare them from automatic safety reassessment every 10 to 15 years, as is currently required. Only substances considered most hazardous would be excluded from this exemption. The Commission also paved the way for a return to aerial pesticide spraying, which has been banned across the EU since 2009. In this regard, it announced plans to consult the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on whether drones could be used for this purpose without harming health or the environment.
