Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

Article 23 Comparative assessment of biocidal products

1. The receiving competent authority or, in the case of an evaluation of an application for a Union authorisation, the evaluating competent authority, shall perform a comparative assessment as part of the evaluation of an application for authorisation or for renewal of authorisation of a biocidal product containing an active substance that is a candidate for substitution in accordance with Article 10(1).

2. The results of the comparative assessment shall be forwarded, without delay, to the competent authorities of other Member States and the Agency and, in the case of evaluation of an application for a Union authorisation, also to the Commission.

3. The receiving competent authority or, in the case of a decision on an application for a Union authorisation, the Commission shall prohibit or restrict the making available on the market or the use of a biocidal product containing an active substance that is a candidate for substitution where the comparative assessment in accordance with Annex VI (‘comparative assessment’) demonstrates that both of the following criteria are met:

(a) for the uses specified in the application, another authorised biocidal product or a non-chemical control or prevention method already exists which presents a significantly lower overall risk for human health, animal health and the environment, is sufficiently effective and presents no other significant economic or practical disadvantages;

(b) the chemical diversity of the active substances is adequate to minimise the occurrence of resistance in the target harmful organism.

4. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, a biocidal product containing an active substance that is a candidate for substitution may be authorised for a period of up to four years without comparative assessment in exceptional cases where it is necessary to acquire experience first through using that product in practice.

5. Where the comparative assessment involves a question which, by reason of its scale or consequences, would be better addressed at Union level, in particular where it is relevant to two or more competent authorities, the receiving competent authority may refer the question to the Commission for a decision. The Commission shall adopt that decision by means of implementing acts in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 82(3).

The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 83 specifying the criteria for determining when comparative assessments involve questions better addressed at Union level and the procedures for such comparative assessments.

6. Notwithstanding Article 17(4), and without prejudice to paragraph 4 of this Article, an authorisation for a biocidal product containing an active substance that is a candidate for substitution shall be granted for a period not exceeding five years and renewed for a period not exceeding five years.

7. Where it is decided not to authorise or to restrict the use of a biocidal product pursuant to paragraph 3, that cancellation or amendment of the authorisation shall take effect four years after that decision. However, where the approval of the active substance which is a candidate for substitution expires on an earlier date, the cancellation of the authorisation shall take effect on that earlier date.