The new EU Fertilising Products Regulation: facing the present and the most immediate future
The new EU Fertilising Products Regulation went a step further on October 24. On that day, the European Parliament plenary session approved to pass to the discussion phase with the member states. That agreement implies that the draft goes forward and that obvious progress is being made in the Trilogue process. The movement is significant for a project existing since 2010 and in which the industry has set high hopes.
The new EU Fertilising Products Regulation aims to ensure the free circulation of products for all fertilizers. In other words, the new project pursues a single market with the same guarantees of quality and safety for those fertilizer products available in any European country.
Not being expected to be ready until the end of 2018 or the beginning of 2019, the framework of this new regulation is clearly defined in its broad lines. Another goal of the future EU Fertilising Products Regulation is to support development while promoting innovation within the biostimulant sector.
Biostimulants in the new EU Fertilising Products Regulation
The new EU Fertilising Products Regulation, which will repeal the current regulation 2003/2003 of the European Parliament and the European Council is especially relevant for the biostimulant sector. Not only will bioestimulant products be clearly defined, but the future regulation will also serve to set a precise limit between biostimulants and phytosanitary products.
Such new regulatory framework will gather under the same umbrella biostimulants (including biostimulants from microorganisms), organic fertilizers, amendments and some others, in addition to the inorganic fertilizers that were already included in the previous regulation. Biostimulants products will be clearly defined based on its functions and the effects they can have on crops(among them, there is the improvement of efficiency in nutrition, the improvement of situations of abiotic stress or the improvement of crop quality).
The European Biostimulants Industry Council (EBIC) is adding one more element about the advantages of a harmonized market within the EU. EBIC is the authorized representative of the sector when discussing with the EU. EBIC’s role has become pivotal in the entire negotiation process that is taking place.
Through a recent press releases, EBIC pointed out the boost the new regulatory framework would provide to develop innovation in the agricultural sector. According to EBIC, there is a broad potential not only linked to bioeconomy but also related to the growing interest in the capacity of microorganisms to help achieve greater sustainability in many sectors of the economy.
The new EU Fertilising Products Regulation: the role of biostimulant companies
Spain, and other EU countries, have been persistently working for years to develop the new EU Fertilising Products Regulation. Seipasa as an active member of EBIC, is working in actions to help bring positions closer with the member states.
Together with other leading companies within the biostimulant sector in Spain, Seipasa works to support the authorities of the member states (in this case Spain). Seipasa transfers the opinions, positions and lines of action gathered in the expert commissions so that they serve of support in that Trilogue process.
Another working line, where efforts are already being made, is related to the standardization committee and the inclusion of the manufacturing companies position within this committee.The future EU Fertilising Products Regulation is linked to the creation of harmonized European standards that new fertilizer products must meet. The standardization of quality and safety requirements for products will serve to facilitate trade, eliminate barriers and generate a common framework of trust between consumers and industries.