In November 2023, the National Congress approved the bill that proposes the creation of a new legal framework for the production, registration, commercialization, transportation, inspection, supervision and use of agricultural pesticides in the country, after more than two decades of processing. However, in December the President of the Republic sanctioned the proposal (law 14,785/2023) with several vetoes.
The president of the Parliamentary Agricultural Front (FPA), deputy Pedro Lupion (PP-PR), highlighted that the President of the Republic demonstrated, once again, disrespect towards parliament. “The topic was discussed for more than 20 years and had almost unanimous approval in the Senate and the President vetoed the main sections. Therefore, we have an uphill battle to make this system work, which wants to modernize, reduce bureaucracy and ensure that we have access to more modern molecules and better products for Brazilian agriculture.”
Lupion emphasized the delay in releasing new molecules, highlighting a crucial point. “We can make our producers access products that Argentina, the United States and the European Union already use, which here are delayed by bureaucracy, making us wait four, five or even ten years for their approval. In fact, it is a modernization of the system. We are going to overturn these vetoes, we have the means to do that,” he stated.
Reform of the law and regulation of pesticides in Brazil: Between vetoes and controversies
Some vetoes are linked to the concentration of analysis in the Ministry of Agriculture and the release of products under reanalysis. Deputy Luiz Nishimori (PSD-PR) explained that the centralization of records in this body is to organize and avoid three different queues. “Centralization would have the sole purpose of organizing the priority queue, as happens all over the world. The technical skills of Anvisa and Ibama will maintain their effectiveness.”
However, the other vetoes relate to pesticide packaging, requiring that they contain the company's name and a warning against reuse, in addition to dealing with the unification of registration fees.
“Our proposal aims to adjust our backward legislation, which did not follow international risk analysis standards. We are fighting to reduce the existing bureaucracy that generates unnecessary fees and costs. The vetoes cannot be sustained and we will work to overturn them,” said Nishimori.
Finally, the bench awaits the return of the parliamentary recess to meet and discuss overturning the vetoes in the National Congress session.
Source: Notícias Agrícolas
