The Dutch Board for the Authorisation of Plant Protection Products and Biocides (Ctgb) has published its 2023 annual report online. As an assessment authority, the Ctgb is responsible for the assessment and safe admission of plant protection products and biocides in the Netherlands. In 2023, the Ctgb assessed 303 applications. 6% of the 165 applications for plant protection products were completely rejected, for 15% of the applications the requested applications were rejected, and for 45% of the applications the usage instructions were tightened. Of the 138 biocides applications, 10% were completely rejected, 10% had their applications rejected and 77% had their usage instructions tightened. The council makes such adjustments to ensure the safe usage of the biocide in question.
Crop protection products
For the policy period 2024-2027, the Ctgb established a new multi-year strategy with input from various relations. The focus here is on shortening lead times, and enhancing the sustainability of crop protection products and biocides. As well as getting better insight in their long-term health effects. To further contribute to the sustainability of crop protection solutions, the Ctgb opened a separate Sustainability Desk at the end of 2023. In this way, the Ctgb aims to accelerate the processing of crop protection products that contribute to more sustainable cultivation.The Ctgb also chose to further tighten the European policy of comparative evaluation in order to faster replace substances on the European list of 'candidates for replacement' with safer alternatives.
The Ctgb's 2023 annual report can be downloaded here (in Dutch).