The Central Control and Testing Institute in Agriculture in Bratislava (hereinafter called „the Control Institute“) informs the authorisation holders of plant protection products that Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No. 2023/707 amending Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures introduces new hazard classes and criteria for substances and mixtures that are endocrine disruptors for human health and the environment, as well as for substances and mixtures that are PBT (persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic), vPvB (very persistent and very bioaccumulative), PMT (persistent, mobile and toxic) and vPvM (very persistent and very mobile). From 1 May 2026 at the latest new plant protection products must meet the requirements of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No. 2023/707. As regards plant protection products placed on the market before 1 May 2026, these must comply with the Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2023/707 not latest than 1 May 2028.

In this regard, the Control Institute invites authorization holders to submit an application for a change in the classification of all plant protection products for which these new hazard classes are relevant in sufficient time in advance.

Applications with updated mass safety data sheets for plant protection products, active substances, or safeners, synergists or co-formulants and with the draft label must be submitted to the Control Institute, Department of Pesticides Registration, no later than 1 May 2027. In the decision on the change in classification, the Control Institute will determine a grace period for the sale, distribution, use, storage and disposal of existing stocks of the plant protection product in question with the original label no later than 30 April 2028.

For plant protection products for which no applications for a change in classification have been submitted by the above deadline, it is necessary to submit to the Control Institute a statutory declaration by authorisation holders that the above hazard classes are not relevant for the given plant protection products and that a change in classification is not required, no later than 1 May 2027. A single declaration may be submitted for all such plant protection products of the authorisation holder.