Dublin PP Symposium 2024 – Update on PPP Registration in GB
Dublin PP Symposium 2024 – Update on PPP Registration in GB
Barry Neill of the UK CRD (HES) gave a very detailed presentation at Kerona’s Dublin Plant Protection Symposium on the Great Britain (GB) regulatory updates on plant protection products (PPPs). A new digital web portal and back-end case management system is being developed to modernise the systems and processes used for managing pesticide product applications. This digital system is currently in the development stage, focused on enhancing work processes, improving application management efficiency, and ensuring future data integrity. The new system will feature machine controls to make sure all required elements for the applications are submitted and redesigning the online plant protection product register to achieve an easier searching interface with more information. In the future, the CRD aims to expand the portal to handle applications for biocide products and active substances but at the moment the system that is being developed focuses on PPPs.
Regarding the approval of new active substances, parallel processing of active substances and representative products is progressing well. After the approvals of cinmethylin and isoflucypram, two more active substances, pydiflumetofen and bixlozone, have been approved, with elemental iron nearing completion after a public consultation. For pydiflumetofen, parallel processing enabled product authorization shortly after approval. The overall process takes about 40 months, with 15 active substances currently in progress, including amendments, reviews, and potentially adverse data. Half of the substances in process are biopesticides, and demand for pre-submission meetings for these products remains high. Recruitment is underway for skills to support these actives, and a ‘biopesticides cloud’ has been established within the Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) for independent scientific advice. Despite differences in data requirements between GB and the EU for biopesticides, efforts are focused on aligning data to avoid extra work for applicants. Looking ahead, RNAi active substance applications are being planned, and related expertise is being targeted in strategic planning.
Barry mentioned the increasing divergence between the UK and EU regulatory regimes post-Brexit and the impact this can have on the growers of Northern Ireland (NI). The main areas of divergence include the status of the active substance, Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs), Classification Labelling and Packaging, technical guidance and dossier format. To minimize the impact on growers in NI, the CRD has already taken several steps. Following the EU exit, they retained the same MAPP number and expiry dates for both GB and NI. They continue to maintain joint GB+NI authorisations and labels for as long as possible, though authorisations may split after the EU renewal to reflect differing expiry dates. However, in most cases, the MAPP number and label remain the same until Article 43 is completed or other divergences occur. When there are differences in labels or the contents of products, separate GB and NI authorisations are required. CRD also continues to allow GB-only or NI-only Emergency Authorisations for products that are available in both regions. Managing these divergence issues is complex, time consuming, and often introduces new challenges, but Barry concluded that it is neither the CRD’s nor the industry’s influence how the divergence is evolving.
If you missed the Dublin Plant Protection Symposium, please contact Kerona if you wish to purchase a copy of the presentations. For assistance with the Regulation of PPP in the EU and UK the Kerona Regulatory team can be contacted at info@kerona.ie