On 26 February, the Italian Chamber of Deputies approved a joint motion promoted by MPs from diferent parties, which provides for “initiatives aimed at a more responsible use of harmful pesticides and herbicides, as well as initiatives to support the use of increasingly sustainable good agricultural practices and to take any useful initiative to revise and improve the national action plan on the sustainable use of plant protection products”.

According to the approved text, the government is also committed: “to strengthen the system of controls on the correct use of pesticides in agriculture, by also increasing controls on food products imported from third countries, in order to protect the Italian production chain and ensure high quality standards. In order to ensure that the monitoring of water pesticide contamination is homogeneous throughout the country, all regions will have a plan for the safety of water, for a higher level of protection of human and animal health and the environment”.

Hon Rossella Muroni declared: “Thanks to the collaboration with civil society movements and through a wide work of mediation, this act was approved unanimously. For the first time in this country, a parliamentary act addresses the problem of multi-residue of pesticides in agriculture and food, and the impact that this can have on environment and health. Action is also being called at European level for for a definitive ban on the use of neonicotinoids”.

Sources:

Camera, ok unanime mozione su stop pesticidi
Ansa, 26 February 2019

La Camera ha approvato all’unanimità la mozione Muroni/Soverini per limitare l’uso dei pesticidi
Greenreport.it, 26 February 2019