EU trends in the use and risk of chemical pesticides (Indicator)

The European Commission has developed this indicator on chemical pesticide use and risk to track progress towards the targets on pesticide reduction set by the , the and the .   

In the first six years (2018 to 2023), there was an overall decrease of 58% in the use and risk of chemical pesticides from the baseline period of 2015-2017. Between 2022 and 2023, there was a decrease, relative to the baseline, of 6%. The overall downward trends, in the first six years, shows that both 50% reduction targets can be achieved by 2030. 

The indicator should be interpreted together with other available evidence on pesticide use and environmental impacts, including on ‘Pesticides in rivers, lakes and groundwater’, and the signals on the ‘Ecological risk of pesticides in EU soils’ and ‘Pesticides impacts on human health’. The Harmonised Risk Indicators (HRIs) are currently under review, with ongoing work by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) aimed at improving the characterisation of pesticide hazards and the representativeness of pesticide use patterns, while maintaining a transparent and operational methodology considering limitations in data availability.

The current Directive on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides may have contributed to the downward trend in the indicator, although the implementation and enforcement of its provisions have been uneven across . Member states are encouraged to keep ensuring that chemical pesticides are only used as a last resort, in non-agricultural settings as well as on farms. By consistently applying the principles of integrated pest management (IPM), farmers can reduce their reliance on chemical pesticides without jeopardising the profitability of their enterprises.

Please consult the relevant indicators and signals below for a more comprehensive overview on the topic.