Within two years, the European Food Safety Authority will make a final decision on the fate of several pesticides.

In May 2015, the European Commission decided to restrict the use of clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and imidacloprid in agriculture. Currently, within the territory of EU member states, the application of these three pesticides for soil treatment and seed treatment of bee-attractive cereal crops, other than winter cereals, is prohibited.

Within two years, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will assess the risks to bees from the foliar use of the aforementioned pesticides. For this purpose, by the end of September 2015, each EU member state must submit detailed reports with a risk assessment. The call for the submission of such data is the first step towards making a final and adequate decision regarding the problem of bee disappearance.

The concerned parties are obliged to submit complete information on the effects, exposure, and risks of the three substances concerning honey bees, bumblebees, and solitary bees.

The analyses will include:

• data from research activities;
• study reports, such as critical laboratory studies, chronic toxicity studies, residue data, and field studies;
• national assessments and/or monitoring data.