Wednesday 3rd & Thursday 4th December 2025

09:00-12:00h GMT/10:00-13:00h CET

It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to our sixth Plant Protection Symposium. This annual virtual symposium takes place over the course of two mornings. The format is very simple, touching base with all of the EU regulatory zones and also the neighbouring European region of GB/NI, while also including different viewpoints from other stakeholders in the plant protection industry. Our aim for the symposium is to be short, relevant and focussed.

Day 1 – Wednesday 3rd December 2025

 

Times in GMT Dublin, please add one hour for Central European time

 

09:00

Welcome and Introductions

Dr Irene McGrath

Managing Director, Kerona Scientific Ltd, Ireland

 

9.10 – 9.35

Central Zone Regulatory update

Sadhbh O’Dwyer

Pesticides Registration and Control Division, Ireland

 

9.35 – 9.40

Question and answer session

 

9:40 – 10.05

European Registration of Biocontrol Products

Thérèse Gohin

IBMA – International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association AISBL, Belgium

 

10.05 – 10.10

Question and answer session

 

10.10 – 10.30

Coffee break

 

10.30 – 10:55

Registration of (natural) complex substances: Using the molecular barcode as a fingerprinting method

Dr Ingrid Sterenborg

Senior Toxicologist, Triskelion

 

10.55 – 11.00

Question and answer session

 

11:00 – 11.25

Challenges in the analytics for soil ecotoxicological studies

Ricardo Petersen

Principal Ecotoxicologist, ERM

 

11.25 – 11.30

Question and answer session

 

11:30– 11:55

Risk assessment update – new birds and mammals guidance

Mathilde Zorn

Ecotoxicologist, ctgb, The Netherlands

 

11:55 – 12:00

Question and answer session

 

12:00 – 12.20

Additional time for Q&A (if needed) and closing remarks from Day 1

Dr Irene McGrath

Managing Director, Kerona Scientific Ltd, Ireland

 

 

Day 2 – Thursday 4th December 2025

 

Times in GMT Dublin, please add one hour for Central European time

09:00

Welcome and Introductions

Dr Irene McGrath

Managing Director, Kerona Scientific Ltd, Ireland

 

9.10 – 9.35

Regulatory developments in GB/NI Region

Matthew Penrose

Head of Unit in CRD for pesticides delivery, Health & Safety Executive, Chemicals Regulation Division (HSE CRD, UK)

 

9.35 – 9.40

Question and answer session

 

9:40 – 10.05

Perspective of an European Evaluation agency

Professor Alberto Angioni

University of Cagliari, Italy

 

10.05 – 10.10

Question and answer session

 

10.10 – 10.30

Coffee break

 

10.30 – 10:55

Viewpoint from the Post-Patent Industry – Challenges and Opportunities in Europe

Manuel Duarte

European Crop Care Association, Brussels, Belgium

 

10.55 – 11.00

Question and answer session

 

11:00 – 11.25

EU developments in the regulation of plant protection products

Lennert Vissers

European Commission, Belgium

 

11.25 – 11.30

Question and answer session

 

11:30– 11:55

Legal cases impacting plant protection products in the EU

Peter Kugel 

Partner, VVGB Advocaten, Belgium

 

11:55 – 12:00

Question and answer session

 

12:00 – 12.20

Additional time for Q&A (if needed) and closing remarks from Day 2

Dr Irene McGrath

Managing Director, Kerona Scientific Ltd, Ireland