Welcome

It is with pleasure that I welcome you to our inaugural Southern European Plant Protection Conference. For 5 years Kerona has been organising virtual sumposia which take place over 1 -2 mornings. while these symposia have been well received, our intention was always to have a physical conference  where delegates could meet and network and the feedback from many delegates has been that this would be their preference. Therefore, now you can have the best of both worlds – for those of you who prefer a short virtual symposium that you can fir into your regular day you have the option of the virtual Dublin PPP symposium which takes place online every November. For others who prefer to meet physically, you can attend the SEU PPP Conference.

Of course, you can always attend both if you are very keen!

Irene 

Draft Programme Day 1 – Wednesday 7th May 2025

08:00 – 09:00  Registration

09:00 – 09:15

Welcome and Introductions

Dr Irene McGrath

Managing Director, Kerona Scientific Ltd., Ireland

Session 1           Regulatory update – Southern zone and EU

09:15 – 09:45

Main achievements and discussions of the Southern Zone Steering Committee in 2024

Natalia Nogueira

Ministry of Agriculture, Fish and Food (MAPA), Spain

9:45 – 10.15

Update from Portugal in the Southern zone

João Cardoso

Executive Director of Croplife, Portugal

10.15 – 10.45

EU developments in the regulation of plant protection products

Speaker to be confirmed (virtual presentation)

European Commission

10.45-11:00

Roundtable Q&A

11:00-11.30              Coffee Break

Session 2           Risk assessment for Plant protection products under Regulation 1107/2009

11.30 – 12.00

Update on risk assessments for PPP’s

Dr Marisé Borja

Director Global Regulatory Affairs, Syntech Research Group, Spain

12.00-12.30

Topic TBC

Dr Dirk Nickisch

Senior Expert, Effect Modelling and Statistics at RIFCON GmbH, Germany

12.30 – 13.00

Challenges in the risk assessments for bees for plant protection products

Dr Elisabeth Collison

Global Regulatory Ecotoxicologist, Corteva Agriscience, UK

13.00-13:15

Roundtable Q&A

13:14-14.15              Lunch

Session 3          Regulations of PPP’s in other regions neighbouring the EU

14.15 – 14.45

Current developments in the regulation of PPP’s in GB/NI

Speaker TBC

14.45 -15.15

Authorisation of PPP’s in Ukraine

Olga Biriulina

Pesticides/Agrochemicals Registration/ Regulatory Affairs Consultant, Ukraine

15.15 – 15.45

Procedures for authorisation of PPP’s in Switzerland

Matthew Kane

CEO, LKC Switzerland Ltd, Switzerland

15.45 -16.00

Roundtable Q&A

16.00              Finish

Networking and optional dinner at local restaurant

Draft Programme Day 2 – Thursday 8th May 2025

09:00 – 09:15

Welcome back

Dr Irene McGrath

Managing Director, Kerona Scientific Ltd., Ireland

Session 4          Industry Feedback on the challenges with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009

09:15 – 09:45

Viewpoint from the ECCA on challenges and opportunities in Europe

Mónica Teixeira

President of the European Crop Care Association (ECCA), Product Safety, Regulatory and R&D Director, Ascenza, Portugal

9:45 – 10.15

The new regulation on the approval of safeners and synergists in PPPs

Claudio Mereu

Partner, EU Regulatory, Fieldfisher LLP, Belgium

10.15 – 10.45

Why so few low-risk microbials are actually approved as low-risk?

Jose Carvalho

EMEA Regulatory Lead CERTIS Biologicals & IBMA Chair of Microbials Professional Group

10.45-11:00

Roundtable Q&A

11:00-11.30              Coffee Break

Session 5          The new EU FPR and borderline issues with Regulation 1107/2009

11.30 – 12.00

Borderline cases between Regulation 1107/2009 and the EU FPR

Adrián Parra Garcia

Senior Associate, Fieldfisher, Belgium

12.00-12.30

Procedures for CE Marking under the EU FPR

Francisco Gil Cuder 

CAAE, Spain 

12.30 – 13.00

Marketing of Plant Biostimulants under the EU FPR

Ferran Soldevila Elias

Managing Director and co-founder of Sun Chemicals services, S.L., Spain

13.00-13:15

Roundtable Q&A

13:14-14.15              Lunch

Session 6          Developments with biocontrol Products

14.15 – 14.45

Biocontrol case studies and experiences

José Ramón Fernández 

Chief Regulatory Officer at SEIPASA, Spain

14.45 -15.15

Biocontrol Regulation and policy in the EU

Alessandra Moccia

IBMA Vice-President

15.15 – 15.45

Requirements for authorisation of microbial PPP’s under Regulation 1107/2009

Agata Jakubowska

Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager Biocontrol, APIS S.L., Spain

15.45 -16.00

Roundtable Q&A

16.00

Closing remarks from the Conference

Dr Irene McGrath

Managing Director, Kerona Scientific Ltd., Ireland

Confirmed Speakers Day 1

Dr. Irene McGrath
Managing Director, Kerona Scientific Ltd., Ireland

Irene has a PhD in Chemistry from DCU and has spent over 30 years managing regulatory departments in industry and working as a consultant for the regulation of plant protection products, biocides, biostimulants and fertilisers in the EU. The Kerona team assist clients from the proprietary and generic plant protection, biocides, fertilisers, plant biostimulants and biopesticides industries in meeting all aspects of European Regulatory needs. Kerona Scientific is headquartered in Ireland, with offices also in the UK and Spain.

in Chemistry from DCU and has spent over 30 years managing regulatory departments in industry and working as a consultant for the regulation of plant protection products, biocides, biostimulants and fertilisers in the EU. The Kerona team assist clients from the proprietary and generic plant protection, biocides, fertilisers, plant biostimulants and biopesticides industries in meeting all aspects of European Regulatory needs. Kerona Scientific is headquartered in Ireland, with offices also in the UK and Spain.

Natalia Nogueira de Diego

Ministry of Agriculture, Fish and Food (MAPA), Spain

Natalia is the Technical Adviser of the Plant Protection Products Register in the General Directorate for Plant and Forest Health of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fish and Food (MAPA) in Madrid. Since 2017 she has been responsible for active substances in the Plant Protection Products Register and is a Spanish representative in the SCoPAFF (Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed) of the European Commission. Natalia is also a representative of Spain in several working groups supported by the European Commission such as the PAI (Post Approval Issues Group), IZSC (Interzonal Standard Committee), and SZSC (Southern Zone Steering Committee).

João Cardoso

Executive Director of Croplife, Portugal

João is the Executive Director of CropLife Portugal, a position he has held since 2022. Prior to joining CropLife Portugal, João worked for nearly six years as a Project Manager at Anipla which was renamed as Croplife Portugal, where João led various initiatives within the agricultural and environmental industries. João also has a solid foundation in research, having contributed to academic work at the Faculty of Science and Technology at Nova University of Lisbon. João’s academic credentials include a Master’s in Sanitary Engineering from the School of Science and Technology at Nova University Lisbon, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the Higher Institute of Agronomy. João has also studied the first edition of Agribusiness Sustainable Development in the Agricultural Sector at the Nova School of Business and Economics.

Dr. Marisé Borja
Director Global Regulatory Affairs, Syntech Research Group, Spain

Marisé is the Global Regulatory Director at Syntech Research Group and has been an Associate Professor at the Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas at UCM (University Complutense of Madrid) since 1997. Marisé has been an expert for the European Commission (EU) since 1996. Marisé was the Director of Biopesticides and also worked as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Plant Response Biotech, advising on technological advancements in biotechnology. Furthermore, Marisé contributed to the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology as an Advisor and has served as Head of R&D and International Manager at Fundación PROMIVA / La Veguilla Duty in Madrid

Dr Dirk Nickisch

Senior Expert, Effect Modelling and Statistics at RIFCON GmbH, Germany

Dirk is an environmental scientist working in the Effect Modelling and Statistics team at RIFCON. Dirk studied Geo-ecology at the University of Braunschweig and did his diploma in population modelling at the ecotoxicology department of BASF Ludwigshafen. Dirk holds a PhD in Agricultural Sciences and worked for several years as a researcher in environmental modelling at the University of Kiel. Dirk joined Rifcon in 2008 and has worked in various departments including regulatory affairs and environmental fate. Dirk is currently the lead organiser of the ELINK-2 workshop, which aims to bring exposure and effect modellers together.

Dr Elisabeth Collison

Global Regulatory Ecotoxicologist, Corteva Agriscience, UK

Following her PhD studies investigating the effects of neonicotinoids on bee health, Liz has worked as a regulatory ecotoxicologist for the last ten years, with roles in consultancy prior to joining Corteva in 2021. She supports global regulatory submissions for plant protection active substances and products, including monitoring ecotox studies and conducting environmental risk assessments. Liz acts as a focal point for pollinator assessments within Corteva’s regulatory ecotoxicology team and is an active member of the CropLife Europe bee group.

Olga Biriulina
Pesticides/ Agrochemicals Registration/ Regulatory Affairs Consultant, Ukraine

Olga has been working in fertilizer production companies since 2001 and established her own consulting business in agrochemicals regulatory affairs in 2006. In 2010 she created the Ukrainian Registration team. Olga has a master’s degree in law (2009) from the Academy of Advocacy of Ukraine and another master’s degree in administrative management (2001) from Rivne State Technical University.

Matthew Kane

CEO, LKC Switzerland Ltd, Switzerland

Matthew is a senior manager at LKC with 20 years of technical, scientific, and regulatory experience supporting specialty chemical and biochemical manufacturing companies within related industry sectors for the European Union, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Matthew is an agricultural scientist by education, a chartered biologist with the Royal Society of Biology and resides in rural Switzerland.

Confirmed Speakers Day 2

Claudio Mereu

Partner, EU Regulatory, Fieldfisher LLP, Belgium

Claudio is a Partner at Fieldfisher’s Brussels office with over 25 years of experience in EU regulatory law, specializing in sectors such as chemicals (REACH), pesticides, biocides, life sciences, and other regulated industries like medical devices, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, toys, and electronics. Claudio advises global companies on product approval, advocacy, litigation, and business law matters related to commercial agreements in Europe. Claudio’s expertise includes product regulations, data protection, environmental liability, and product recalls. Claudio has represented major chemical companies before European institutions and courts and has successfully resolved complex cases, including data-sharing arbitration in Italy and an abuse of dominant position in the pesticides market. Claudio is highly regarded in the industry, being ranked as a “Tier One” lawyer by Legal 500, Chambers Europe, and others. Claudio is fluent in Italian, French, English, and Spanish and is a member of both the Rome and Brussels Bars.

Mónica Teixeira

President of the European Crop Care Association (ECCA), Product Safety, Regulatory and R&D Director, Ascenza, Portugal

Mónica is the president of the European Crop Care Association (ECCA), and a member of its board since 2019. Mónica joined Ascenza in 2017, at that time Sapec, where she is a member of Ascenza Board with the responsibility of Product safety, Regulatory and R&D. Mónica started her career in 1992 in the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture in the Plant Protection Directorate, where Mónica was for 7 years, followed by 18 years as Regulatory Affairs and Stewardship Manager in Syngenta. Mónica is an Agronomic Engineer from the University of Lisbon and has always been dedicated to the plant protection sector with a special focus on registration and stewardship.

José Carvalho

EMEA Regulatory Lead CERTIS Biologicals & IBMA Chair of Microbials Professional Group, Portugal

Jose Carvalho holds a PhD in Environmental Chemistry from the Humboldt University in Berlin and a Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Porto University, with a focus on microbiology and immunology. Previous to joining the industry, Jose worked for the Portuguese Water Institute, the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and the German Federal Institute for Material Science and Testing (BAM) in analytical methods. Since 2020, Jose works for CERTIS Biologicals and prior to that in several Regulatory and Business positions within the crop protection industry and consulting. He is currently the Chair of the Microbial Professional Group at IBMA, the biocontrol industry association.

Adrián Parra García

Senior Associate, Fieldfisher, Belgium

Adrián is a Senior Associate in regulatory law for Fieldfisher, focussing on chemicals, agrochemicals and biological alternatives for agriculture. Adrián is the focal point for cases in Spain and has experience in approval and registration procedures of plant protection products, fertilisers, biostimulants and biocontrol, amongst others. Adrián advises clients and defends their interests before public authorities at both EU and national level. Prior to joining Fieldfisher, Adrián worked at the legal department of the IT company IBM, focussing on legal matters related to the public sector. Adrián holds an LLM in EU Law from the University Carlos III of Madrid and studied Private International Law at the American University of Washington D.C. (Washington College of Law). He also studied environmental sciences for three years at the University of Alcalá de Henares in Madrid. Adrián is a member of the Madrid and Brussels Bar.

Francisco Gil Cuder

CAAE, Spain

Francisco studies as a Higher Technician in Forestry and Natural Environment Management and Francisco has a degree in Biology from the University of Seville. Francisco works as an Administrative assistant at the Andalusian Committee for Ecological Agriculture (Certification Service CAAE).

Ferran Solevita Elias

Managing director and co-founder of Sun Chemicals Services, S.L., Spain

Ferran holds a degree in Economics from Barcelona University and a degree from the Erasmus University of Rotterdam. After 15 years working in IQV Spain where he held various positions of responsibility including general manager, he did an MBA (PDD) on the IESE business school. His main fields of expertise are regulatory advisor on fertilisers and bio-pesticides in different regions around the world. Ferran is a founder member of the Fertiliser consultants’ network and active in the new FPR law 2019/1009 being a member of the CTN-UNE 142 Gt 3 “Bioestimulantes para plantas y microorganismos agrícolas” a Spanish mirror of the group CEN/TC 455 – Plant Biostimulants reporting to DG GROW.

José Ramón Fernández

Chief Regulatory Officer at SEIPASA, Spain

José Ramón is the Chief Regulatory Officer at SEIPASA, Spain. Seipasa is a pioneering company in the formulation and development of treatments of botanical and microbiological origin for crop protection, biostimulation and nutrition. Prior to his current role, José Ramón was head of the Registrations Department of SEIPASA for more than 12 years. José Ramón holds a Master’s in Techniques for Environmental and Territorial Management from the University of Valencia and a Bachelor of Environmental Science from the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

Alessandra Moccia

IBMA Vice-President

Alessandra is the Vice-President of IBMA, the International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association. Being part of the Council of IBMA since 2019, Alessandra is actively contributing to the definition of a more proportionate regulatory framework for biorational plant protection products and advocating to raise awareness about these technologies. In addition, Alessandra directs the Regulatory Affairs department at Suterra, a global leader in pheromone production and innovation. With her team, she manages semiochemical registrations and global regulatory compliance in North, Central and South America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australia. Alessandra holds a Master’s in Environmental Chemistry from Insubria University in Italy.

Dr. Agata Jakubowska

Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager Biocontrol, APIS S.L., Spain

Agata is a biotechnologist, specialised in molecular biology and microbiology. Prior to joining APIS in 2018 Agata had four years of experience in regulatory affairs as a biopesticide project manager, and 15 years of research experience in bio protection and virology. She has participated in many biocontrol projects, including the EU BIOCOMES, which sought to develop new biopesticides. Agata has been involved in numerous new microbial active ingredient submissions and renewals, and national product registrations.