Official Controls (Plant Protection Products) Regulations 2020 update

The Official Controls (Plant Protection Products) Regulations 2020 came into force during June 2020 in the UK, and require users of plant protection products to notify the competent authority. 

Plant protection products is a broad term and includes insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and plant growth regulators, and the regulation will require all users to notify the competent authority of this before the deadline.

While the competent authority noted in the Regulations is the Secretary of State and the Scottish and Welsh Ministers, our Association has been advised by the Chemicals Regulation Division it is expected this will be delegated to Defra, HSE and other relevant agencies. 

The deadline for notification by users is 22 June 2022 – 24 months after the Regulations came into force. 

Our Association has contacted the Chemicals Regulation Division for advice on how users can notify the competent authority and have been advised Defra are in the process of determining the process for registration. Communications are being prepared to notify operators what they need to do in advance of the deadline.   

Further reading:

The Official Controls (Plant Protection Products) Regulations 2020