SCoPAFF discusses draft list of unacceptable co-formulants for plant protection products

The SCoPAFF (Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed) meeting on 16-17 July 2019 discussed the long awaited list of substances that will no longer be allowed as co-formulants for plant protection products.

Currently, the list is given in a draft Commission Regulation (EU), which modifies Annex III of Regulation (EC) 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market. Plant protection products and adjuvants currently authorised according to Member State national rules should not contain the co-formulants that will ultimately be listed in Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.

This list mainly contains substances that are:

• Classified with a harmonised carcinogenicity, mutagenicity or reprotox classification C1A or C1B, M1A or M1B, or R1A or R1B
• Identified as PBT or vPvB under REACH
• Of very high concern due to endocrine disrupting properties under REACH or substances identified as endocrine disruptors under the Biocides Regulation, or substances identified as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) under Regulation (EC) 850/2004

According to this new draft Regulation, authorisations of plant protection products or adjuvants containing any of the listed unacceptable co-formulants shall be required to be amended or withdrawn within two years after this new Commission Regulation enters into force. If Member States grant a further grace period, this can be extended for up to a maximum of 1 year.

How TSG can help

TSG Consulting is on hand to assist in preparing regulatory dossiers, either to amend the registration of a product that has been reformulated and no longer contains any of these “banned co-formulants”, or to obtain the registration of new plant protection products that do not contain any of the unacceptable co-formulants. In addition, our sister companies – Sagentia, specialists in science, technology and product innovation and Oakland, which works with organisations to accelerate innovation and deliver actionable insights – have extensive experience in helping clients identify alternatives to unacceptable co-formulants.