Belgium faces legal challenge due to alleged unauthorized pesticide use

Three environmental organizations are taking legal action against Belgium for permitting the usage of pesticides that they argue violate EU regulations and pose significant health hazards.

These NGOs accuse Belgium of unlawfully authorizing pesticides containing toxic substances, such as abamectin, which are being used in ways that exceed EU-regulated conditions.

According to the NGOs, Belgium's expansive interpretation of "protected cultivation" allows for the unsafe use of pesticides in unsealed environments.

A report from 2023 highlighted Belgium's elevated pesticide usage, despite restrictions imposed by the EU, raising ongoing concerns about environmental and health impacts.

Belgium's adoption of its own directive on "protected cultivation," which permits structures like single-storey tunnels with walls and a roof allowing infiltration of materials and energy through openings, contradicts EU standards.

The lawsuit alleges that Belgium has disregarded mounting scientific evidence on the risks associated with these pesticides, prompting a broader debate on balancing agricultural productivity with environmental sustainability. The lawsuit's outcome could influence the enforcement of EU regulations and potentially lead to stricter controls on pesticide usage continent-wide.