Go to content

Adjuvants for plant protection products

Adjuvants are products (mixtures or preparations) which are added to be mixed with a plant protection product by the professional user. They enhance the effectiveness or improve other pesticidal properties of a plant protection product. An adjuvant itself may not be effective conform the PPP regulation 1107/2009.

Characteristics

Some examples of adjuvants are:

  • Wetting agents:
    These are products aiming at improving the efficacy of plant protection products by improving of spreading and adherence to crops.
  • Stickers:
    These are products aiming at enabling better adherence of products for seed treatment and at preventing important dust formation during sowing.
  • Anti-foaming agents:
    These are products aiming to prevent excessive foam formation, e.g. when several formulations are used together.

An adjuvant has to have an authorisation before it can be placed on the market. Adjuvant authorisations are granted, in anticipation of  European regulation, for an indefinite period.

The legal basis: article 58.2 of the PPPR 1107/2009

The legal basis of the assessment has not been finalised on EU level, therefore the Member States may apply national provisions for authorization of adjuvants until the adoption of detailed rules at EU level as foreseen in article 58.2 of the Regulation. In the Netherlands the national provisions are regulated in RGB, article 11.10b.

Criteria

Until the new rules are known and implemented, the following will only be checked. The additive may not contain the following substances:

  • formulation aids included in Annex III of Regulation (EC) 1107/2009;
  • active substances mentioned on the EFSA active substance list for plant protection products, unless they are not effective by themselves;
  • protective substances;
  • synergists.

Furthermore, the Legal Instructions for Use must meet the basic requirements.

The risks

The legal instructions for use, the instructions for use and the labeling submitted by the applicant have therefore not been assessed for possible risks for humans, animals and the environment. Efficacy has also not been assessed. These risks therefore fall under the responsibility of the authorization holder.

Registration process

For this kind of applications a notification before submission, which is obligated for a number of other applications, is not necessary. Also there is no separate intake process for this type of applications. The procedure takes three months. We start after receiving the application form and our invoice is paid.

Decision

After finishing the application we send you the decision by regular mail. In case you do not agree with the decision please refer to Objection and Appeal.

Instruction for submission

For information about sending the forms, payment method and language; see Directions for submission. More information about this kind of applications can be found under Administrative and minor applications. This information is also available in Dutch.

Fees

For these types of applications you have to pay application fees.

Application form