Withdrawal of products during 2003
Arising from the EC Review Programme for Active Substances, plant protection products containing certain active substances must be withdrawn from use before the end of 2003 (Commission Regulation 2076/2000/EC and Commission Decisions 2002/478/EC, 2002/479/EC and 2000/817/EC). Exceptions may be made in the case of products containing certain active substances for which 'essential uses' have been identified. These are described below under 'Exceptions'.
Distribution of relevant products must cease by the 'Registration expiry date'. This date is 25 July 2003 for most of the products but is somewhat earlier for a few products. Use of products must cease by the 'Product use illegal from' date. This date is 31 December 2003 for most products but is 30 September 2003 for a few.
Any product in the supply chain or with farmers or other end users after the 'Product use illegal from' date will be illegal and must be disposed of as waste by appropriate means at the expense of the owner.
It is therefore important to ensure that all stocks of products designed for use in Spring/Summer have been used up by the end of the Spring/Summer season of 2003. In any case, all products must have been used up by the 'Product use illegal from' date.
A list of products and their expiry and use-by dates is attached *.
Products to be withdrawn from use during 2003 (rtf 213Kb)
Exceptions
An exception may be made in the case of products containing active substances for which an 'essential use' derogation was granted for certain crops in particular Member States as provided for under Regulation 2076/2002/EC. The list of relevant products in the case of Ireland is attached. Essential Uses (rtf 34Kb)
Most of these products currently have uses other than those specified as 'essential' on their labels. Revised labels for such products, covering only the essential uses specified in Regulation 2076/2002/EC, must be submitted to the Pesticides Control Service and approved before 25 July 2003. Registrations may be maintained for such approved products until 30 June 2007.