Traduction de «Enrobage des semences » (Français → Anglais) :

Having had our fingers severely burnt by previous crises, which had devastating consequences – such as the crises involving mad cow disease, and dioxin in chickens, the case before us today, evidenced by the abnormally high death rate among bees, of the danger of new and extremely powerful neurotoxic molecules, which are used to coat seeds, getting into fats and water – we are being vigilant and must continue to err on the side of vigilance.

Lastly, we must be extremely cautious with regard to coating seeds with plant health products, a technique which can be harmful to the environment and to wildlife. This is particularly true of coatings containing powerful systemic insecticides, which have disastrous effects on pollinating insects, in particular domestic bees.

How has the Commission responded to the European Parliament’s request for action to be taken in order to put right the very serious damage which has been inflicted on bee populations by means of systemic long-residue insecticides used to coat the seeds of major crops?

How has the Commission responded to the European Parliament’s request for action to be taken in order to put right the very serious damage which has been inflicted on bee populations by means of systemic long-residue insecticides used to coat the seeds of major crops?

The amount of time required for the implementation of this resolution is incompatible with the seriousness of the situation in which the beekeeping sector finds itself. This problem is largely due to a catastrophic mortality rate caused by two systemic pesticides — imidaclopride and fipronil — which are used to coat the seeds of arable crops and which (as proven by the French National Agricultural Research Institute of Avignon-Montfavet (INRA) and the analyses carried out by the French National Scientific Research Centre in Orléans (CNRS) showing the presence at toxic levels of imidaclopride in maize and sunflower pollens) are harmful no ...[+++]t only to the crops treated, but also to future crops since the active substances remain in crop residues buried in the soil, and subsequently in the humus.

Although exposure to dust from treated corn seed can pose an acute risk to bees, such infrequent occurrences during spring planting are limited in scope and effect and can be further minimized through improvements in seed coatings, lubricants, plant remodifications and effective stewardship measures.