Government Reverses Ban On Neonicotinoids

In 2018, Government supported new rules which prohibited the outdoor use across the European Union of 3 neonicotinoids – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. The ban was brought in due to the harm that the chemicals were causing to bees and other wildlife and the risk that they posed to people and animals. In taking that position, Government made it clear that it would consider emergency authorisations in special circumstances where authorisation for limited and controlled use appeared necessary because of a danger that could not be contained by any other reasonable means. However, the then Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, promised that Government would maintain the restrictions unless the scientific evidence changed.