The end of neonicotinoids in Europe: What now?

In January, the Court of Justice of the European Union gave its verdict on the derogations granted to beet growers for the use of neonicotinoids. Now, what is the future expected for the beet sector?

Since their appearance on the market in the 1990s, neonicotinoids have been the subject of several studies that have demonstrated their harmful impact on pollinators. These insecticides are described as systemic, meaning that once they are applied to the leaves or coated around the seeds, they move through the plant and more particularly through the sap. This method is very interesting for farmers because instead of spraying insecticide on the plants and hitting all the insects in the area, only those that attack the plant directly get intoxicated.

The problem is that these products act on the nervous system of the insects, specifically on the "nicotinic" receptors, which can kill the bees, disorient them or affect their mobility. In addition, the insecticide on the seeds remains in the soil for years which impacts the following crops and surrounding plants.

In 2018, the European Commission is banning the outdoor use of the three main "neonics": imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam. However, some Member States, including Belgium, grant a derogation for beet growers whose crops are affected by aphids carrying jaundice virus. This decision is motivated by the fact that no alternative to neonicotinoids exists yet and that the plants are cultivated before they bloom, so the bees cannot come and forage.

Following these authorizations, two associations, PAN Europe and Nature & Progrès Belgium, as well as a beekeeper, questioned the Council of State on the legality of this exemption. The Belgian State then turned to the Court of Justice of the European Union to settle the issue. The verdict came down on January 19, 2023, stating that "Member States may not derogate from the express prohibitions on the placing on the market and use of seeds treated with plant protection products containing neonicotinoids. It is therefore necessary to find other solutions quickly.

New leads to be explored

However, Member States have not waited for this European decision to fund research to develop alternative control methods to neonicotinoids. Recently, France and its Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail (ANSES), mandated a group of experts to review existing alternatives. The last working group was chaired by Prof. François Verheggen, who teaches among other things alternatives to insecticides at Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech.

These studies allowed to identify several choices against aphids. To evaluate each alternative, Prof. Francois Verheggen's team used three criteria: their effectiveness, the ease of application and their durability (i.e., their environmental friendliness).

Synthetic insecticides like Flonicamid and Spirotetramat seem to be the best compromise between the three criteria. It is not the most durable method but it is the most effective and the easiest to apply. It would therefore be a short-term solution and implemented quickly for this year in Belgium.

Other less effective options include natural insecticides such as orange essential oils, spinosad and neem oil (extracted from the neem tree). There are also agricultural practices such as cover crops (or intermediate crops) and mulching. Kerosene oil is also a possibility.

For François Verheggen, none of these techniques alone are as effective as neonicotinoids. They also represent a cost in products, labor and training. These are expenses that farmers will not be able to afford and it will be necessary for the State to intervene financially.

However, the use of insecticides in a reasoned manner and more environmentally friendly alternatives could have a long-term beneficial effect on biodiversity and crops. As Prof. Francois Verheggen explains:

"We have to remember that if bioaggressors swarm, it is because with monocultures and without plant diversity, their natural enemies cannot survive, multiply, and therefore naturally regulate the populations of these bioaggressors."

The last element that should be taken into account is the re-emergence of old bio-pests, such as wireworms, which attack the roots of beets and which were previously controlled by neonicotinoids.

The solution that researchers are working on is not to know which is the best replacement for neonicotinoids but which combination will allow to obtain a similar result without harming the biodiversity around the crops and in their soil. For its part, the State will have to accompany farmers in this transition by providing new aids and by preparing against new threats.