The European Commission announced on Tuesday (16th July) that BASF's Fipronil insecticide will also be subject to tight restrictions following a vote by Member States' experts in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health. Fipronil is sold under trade name Regent.

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The restrictive measures were proposed by the Commission in light of recommendations made by EU health watchdog EFSA in May. The health authority also backed the partial bans placed on three neonicotinoid insecticides (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) earlier this year, which were hotly contested by a number of member state governments and industry lobbyists. EFSA found that all four pesticides pose "an acute risk to Europe's honey bee population". The proposed measures to restrict Fipronil use did not attract as much attention as the earlier pesticide restrictions as the chemical is not widely used in Europe; Commission sources estimate Fipronil is only used in five of the 28 EU states.

EFSA announced on 27th May that "seeds treated with pesticides containing Fipronil pose an acute risk" to bees. Commenting on Tuesday, Tonio Borg, Commissioner for Health said, "A few weeks ago, in the aftermath of the restriction on use of neonicotinoids, I pledged to do my utmost to protect Europe's honey bee population and today's agreement with Member States, not only delivers on that pledge but marks another significant step in realising the Commission’s overall strategy to tackling Europe’s bee decline."

The Commissioner said the decision to introduce such severe restrictions on fipronil and the three neonicotinoids was taken as part of the Commission's wider strategy to protect the EU's bees, which are in decline, along with other bee populations across the Northern Hempisphere.

He said that, as well as restrictions on chemicals which may be harming bees, the Commission is also funding surveillance and apiculture programmes, in a bit to boost bee health and halt declines. EU research programmes such as BeeDoc and STEP are also looking into the multifaceted issue of bee decline; disease, unsustainable development and the effects of climate change are all believed to be playing major roles in the problem.

23 Member States supported the motion on Tuesday, two states voted against and three abstained during the standing committee vote. Only Spain and Romania, where Fipronil use is common, opposed the Commission's restrictions.

The new measures will come into force on 1st January 2014, a month after the neonicotinoid restrictions. Like the neonicotinoid ban before them, the Commission's partial ban will restrict the crops on which Fipronil can be used as a seed treatment to those not attractive to bees; this means treatment of maize and sunflowers will no longer be allowed.

The Commission said some authorisations may be granted for planting in greenhouses, along with use on leeks, shallots, onions and certain brassica vegetables (such as Brussel sprouts, cauliflower or broccoli) that are harvested before they flower. Seeds which have been treated can be sown up until 28 February 2014. Authorities in each member state will be responsible for seeing that the restrictions are upheld.