After evaluation, applications for plant protection products are submitted to the Committee for the Approval of Pesticides for Agricultural Use. The Approval Committee delivers an opinion on the applications and imposes any measures necessary to ensure the safe use of the plant protection products concerned. We grant authorisation and communicate the decision to the applicants and on our website.

The Approval Committee applies a number of principles. The Approval Committee applies the following principles. The application file is examined by experts against European data criteria and evaluated in accordance with European methods. If the application proves to be compliant, a national authorisation is granted. If the application is not compliant in one or more respects, the risk assessment will be refined as far as possible and realistic risk reduction measures will be developed, ultimately leading to an acceptable risk and the granting of an authorisation. This means that the user must take specific precautions. No national authorisation will be granted if this is not possible.

The following are represented on the Approval Committee: our department, DG Environment of our FPS, FPS ELSD, the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, Sciensano and the Regions. Legally, the Minister of Public Health has jurisdiction, but recent governments have delegated this jurisdiction to the Minister of Agriculture.

In view of the numerous authorisations granted or adapted each year, the delivery of authorisation is delegated to our department in practice. An appeal procedure may be instituted against any decision made by the Approval Committee. If authorisation is still refused after appeal, the final decision will be confirmed by the competent minister.