GR National Action Plan on Sustainable Use of Pesticides (Plant Protection Products) 2013.

This National Action Plan (NAP) on Sustainable Use of Pesticides (Plant Protection Products) is a cross-sectoral policy document.
This NAP seeks to make agriculture more sustainable. The NAP makes provisions for: 1) training on sustainable use of pesticides; 2) procedure for granting certificate which will evidence of sufficient knowledge of sustainable use of pesticides; 3) Information and awareness-raising and information to the public; 4) Inspection of equipment used for pesticide applications, 5) Specific measures to protect the aquatic environment and drinking water; 6) Reduction of pesticide use or risks in specific areas; 7) Specific measures for handling and storage of pesticides and treatment of their packaging and remnants; 8) Integrated pest management. The Ministry of Rural Development and Food keeps specific registry of holders of certificate of knowledge on sustainable use of pesticides, which is displayed on internet for the information of any interested and the registry includes: a) Persons holders of certificate of knowledge on sustainable use of pesticides and b) Legal entities employing as responsible for pesticide use, person that holds certificate of knowledge on sustainable use of pesticides. The targets of the information to the public procedures about pesticides is to reduce 10% per year the accidental acute poisoning incidents and to reduce 20% per year animal deaths of acute poisoning incidents caused by pesticides. For the purpose of protection of the water environment and drinking water, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food conducts controls of the chemical quality of waters, both surface and ground, that are going to be used in agriculture; and Special Water Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change conducts controls, through the National Control Net, of the quality and the quantity of the national ground and surface water resources. Other measures include: aa) Giving preference of using pesticides that are not registered as priority hazardous substances; bb) Giving preference to the most efficient application techniques such as the use of low-drift pesticide application equipment especially in vertical crops such as those found in orchards and vineyards; cc) use of mitigation measures which minimize the risk of off-site pollution caused by spray drift, drainflow and run-off. These shall include the establishment of appropriately-sized buffer zones for the protection of non-target aquatic organisms and safeguard zones for surface and groundwater used for the abstraction of drinking water, where pesticides must not be used or stored; dd) reducing as far as possible or eliminating applications on or along roads, railway lines, very permeable surfaces or other infrastructure close to surface water or groundwater or on sealed surfaces with a high risk of run-off into surface water or sewage systems; etc.
The NAP seeks to contribute to more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems. Targets are proposed in the NAP, including: 1.Up to November 26, 2015, all pesticide professional users should hold certificate of knowledge; 2. Percentage of Maximum Residue Limits exceedances in relation to the total number of samples: Reduction 10% up to year 2015; 3. Incidents of poisoning caused by professional use of pesticides: Reduction 5% every year; etc. Integrated Pest Management Guides shall be published on internet site of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, in order to be provided to pesticide professional users all necessary information.