THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 1998 concerning the placing of biocidal products on the market(), and in particular the second subparagraph of Article 16(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1451/2007 of 4 December 2007 on the second phase of the 10-year work programme referred to in Article 16(2) of Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of biocidal products on the market() establishes a list of active substances to be assessed, with a view to their possible inclusion in Annex I, IA or IB to Directive 98/8/EC. That list includes spinosad.
(2) Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1451/2007, spinosad has been evaluated in accordance with Article 11(2) of Directive 98/8/EC for use in product-type 18, insecticides, acaricides and products to control other arthropods, as defined in Annex V to that Directive.
(3) The Netherlands were designated as Rapporteur Member State and submitted the competent authority report, together with a recommendation, to the Commission on 1 April 2008 in accordance with Article 14(4) and (6) of Regulation (EC) No 1451/2007.
(4) The competent authority report was reviewed by the Member States and the Commission. In accordance with Article 15(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1451/2007, the findings of the review were incorporated, within the Standing Committee on Biocidal Products on 27 May 2010, in an assessment report.
(5) It appears from the examinations made that biocidal products used as insecticides, acaricides or to control other arthropods and containing spinosad may be expected to satisfy the requirements laid down in Article 5 of Directive 98/8/EC. It is therefore appropriate to include spinosad in Annex I to that Directive.
(6) Not all potential uses have been evaluated at EU level. It is therefore appropriate that Member States assess those uses or exposure scenarios and those risks to the compartments and populations that have not been representatively addressed in the EU level risk assessment and, when granting product authorisations, ensure that appropriate measures are taken or specific conditions imposed in order to reduce the identified risks to acceptable levels.
(7) In the light of the findings of the assessment report, it is appropriate to require that risk mitigation measures are applied at product authorisation level. In particular, in the light of the identified adverse health effects for the unprotected professional user during application by spraying of biocidal products containing spinosad, it is appropriate to require at product authorisation level that products intended for professional use by spraying be used with appropriate personal protective equipment, unless it can be demonstrated that risks for industrial or professional users can be reduced by other means. Furthermore, in the light of the findings relating to possible indirect human exposure via consumption of food, it is appropriate to require, where relevant, verification of the need to set new or amended existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) and adoption of measures ensuring that the applicable MRLs are not exceeded.
(8) It is important that the provisions of this Directive be applied simultaneously in all the Member States in order to ensure equal treatment of biocidal products on the market containing the active substance spinosad and also to facilitate the proper operation of the biocidal products market in general.
(9) A reasonable period should be allowed to elapse before an active substance is included in Annex I in order to permit Member States and the interested parties to prepare themselves to meet the new requirements entailed and to ensure that applicants who have prepared dossiers can benefit fully from the 10-year period of data protection, which, in accordance with Article 12(1)(c)(ii) of Directive 98/8/EC, starts from the date of inclusion.
(10) After inclusion, Member States should be allowed a reasonable period to implement Article 16(3) of Directive 98/8/EC.
(11) Directive 98/8/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.
(12) The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Biocidal Products,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: