The EU commission is to vote today to impose a total outdoor use of a group of insecticides thought to be responsible for the destruction of bees and other pollinators. There has been a partial ban since 2013, but now several major countries, including the UK, have signalled their willingness to strengthen the ban.
Many farmers are opposed to the ban saying there is no proven science and it will simply lead to more imports from outside the EU. The Commission needs 65% of the population representatives to agree to the ban (which will not apply inside greenhouses) and hopes to get the proposal agreed today (Friday 27th April).
