By publishing these two Opinions, the PPR Panel is providing a reference guidance for risk assessors and experts on all main scientific principles adopted in this area. These two Summary Opinions will make available to a wider scientific user community information on the work of the PPR Panel where key scientific principles are often immersed in technical replies to specific scientific questions.

Dr. Herman Koëter, EFSA’s Acting Executive Director commenting on the publication of the Opinions said:

“I welcome the publishing of these two Summary Opinions on pesticide risk assessment. EFSA often works with many diverse and complex scientific fields related to our mandate and this is one of them. Whilst the documents are aimed at experts in the field, they will also serve to better explain the scientific principles underlying EFSA’s risk assessment activities to a broader audience and will help demonstrate the high level of EFSA’s scientific excellence in the field of plant protection products and their residues. This is particularly important if you consider that consumers in the EU consider pesticides to be at the top of their list of issues for concern in terms of food safety[2].”

One of the Opinions covers scientific principles underlying pesticide risk assessment, notably concerning their toxicity for humans[3] (i.e. how they affect people either working with pesticides or exposed to pesticides through food). The second Opinion covers issues related to environmental risk assessment, taking into account exposure, ecotoxicology, fate (i.e. what happens to pesticides in the environment) and residues of pesticides[4]. The Opinions give guidance for future risk assessment, include recommendations and identify future needs for work in pesticide risk assessment.

The Opinions are available at:

More information on the PPR Panel