The European Commission adopted a report in February 2014  concluding that there is a need to create a European fund for minor uses of pesticides. This activity should built on existing minor use activities carried out and financed by some Member States and on the EU Expert Group on Minor Uses established in 2002 but discontinued in 2009.

 

The Coordination Facility will be a strong aid to deriving maximum benefit from the existing programme of work across the Member States aimed at closing minor use gaps. This programme of work should be continued and developed on a more coherent, consistent and productive basis with a higher output of solutions for minor uses problems.

 

The main task of the Coordination Facility is to coordinate and support minor use work among all Member States and stakeholders. This entails the improvement of information exchange, sharing experience gained at the national levels and facilitating bilateral and multilateral projects between Member States.

 

Three Member States initially, France, Germany and the Netherlands, have agreed to provide funds to match the €350,000 committed by the Commission in order to create the EU Minor Uses Coordination Facility. The three countries have committed funds for three years in order to ensure rapid progress with establishment of the Facility. This is on the understanding that other Member States and stakeholders who benefit from the work of the Facility will contribute to a sustainable funding arrangement in the longer term.

Main tasks: https://www.minoruses.eu/media/files/EUMUCF%20-overview%20of%20tasks.pdf