Dutch action plan on sustainable plant protection.

This National Action Plan has been drawn up pursuant to Directive 2009/128/EC on sustainable pesticide use and fleshes out how the Netherlands will set up a more sustainable plant protection policy in the 2013-2018 period. Sustainable agriculture provides for the needs of the current generation without harming the interests of future generations, here and in other parts of the world, and strikes a balance between ecological, economic and social interests. Suitable agriculture is a form of agriculture that contributes to a living planet, human prosperity and well-functioning ecosystems. The development of the action plan coincides with the integral review of Dutch plant protection policy and thus incorporates a series of recommendations from civil society organisations and the private sector. The public participation procedure on the draft action plan produced valuable input.
Some of the main topics covered in this text are related to the necessary professional and amateur training and educational needs. Since 1996, anyone using, buying, distributing or storing pesticides must hold a certificate of competence or license, which is awarded on passing a pesticide management examination. There are different examinations, leading to different types of certificate, tailored to different roles and responsibilities in pesticide management. Certificates of competence are not mandatory for non-professional users of pesticides or advisors who do not sell pesticides themselves. As for requirements for sales of pesticides, distributors must have sufficient staff in their employment shall be available at the time of sale to provide adequate information to customers as regards pesticide use, and the health and environmental risks of the products in question. Pesticides authorized for professional use may be sold only to persons holding an appropriate certificate of competence. Also distributors must provide information about using the pesticide correctly, health and environmental risks of the product in question, safety instructions to manage those risks.
Information and awareness-raising are also highlighted (all pesticides are toxic to some degree and most are hazardous substances as defined in environmental legislation). Inspection of equipment in use (since 1997, pesticide application equipment must undergo periodic inspections, to ensure it is optimally calibrated, reliable and safe for both operators and the natural and human environment; until 2011, only field sprayers and orchard sprayers were subject to mandatory inspections). An important issue is also aerial spraying (aerial spraying is prohibited; the Minister of Economic Affairs can grant exemptions in emergency situations in accordance with the Directive on sustainable use of pesticides, as long as there is a specific need for such application).
This text in particular addresses several specific measures aimed at protect the aquatic environment and drinking water. The implementation of plant protection policy for the 2004-2010 period has resulted in an 85% reduction in the calculated pesticide impact in surface water. Total pesticide use has also declined, however, these results are not sufficient to achieve the water quality objectives set out in the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The Action Plan thus puts an even stronger emphasis on risk reduction; the Netherlands has chosen to achieve the WFD objectives in phases, and by 2027 at the latest: quality of surface water, for 'WFD water bodies; no water quality standards exceeded in 2027; quality of surface water, specific locations for drinking water production: no drinking water quality standards exceeded in 2027. Also a set of related extra measures is listed as follows: introduction of an emissions reduction plan; reduction of spray drift to surface water; closed water systems in glasshouse horticulture; bans on the use of priority hazardous substances); reduction of pesticide use or risks in specific areas is decided; handling and storage of pesticides and treatment of their packaging and remnants; Integrated pest management (plant protection methods can be categorized in terms of their economic and ecological effects and their impact on humans and the environment; the methods chosen in each case after careful consideration should minimize adverse impacts; in recent years the Netherlands has invested heavily in the development and dissemination of knowledge on integrated pest management, through demonstration projects, advisory services, decision-supporting systems, training, websites and publications in farmers' journals). This text further sets several general and specific indicators, such as the HAIR2010, to determine trends in the environmental impact of pesticide use on, for instance, surface water. This indicator will be refined for the evaluation of this action plan, based on the national environmental indicator NMI-3, in the interests of a more detailed analysis of specific areas; water is a vital resource and the Dutch government is responsible for overall water quality monitoring; the use of pesticides containing a priority hazardous substance as defined in the Water Framework Directive, is prohibited near surface water and groundwater protection areas).