Non-target terrestrial arthropods in prospective environmental risk assessment for plant protection products: Specific protection goal options

In 2015 the PPR Panel of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a scientific opinion on the state of the science on environmental risk assessment (ERA) for plant protection products and non- target terrestrial arthropods (EFSA PPR, 2015). An EFSA guidance document for prospective ERA of non- target terrestrial arthropods has not yet been developed since specific protection goals (SPGs) have to be defined in concert between risk assessors and risk managers and finally approved by EU risk managers. In this document, the prospective risk assessment procedures for pesticides and non-target terrestrial arthropods as currently used in the EU and in The Netherlands are described. In addition, a short overview of the recommendations in the EFSA scientific opinion on non-target terrestrial arthropods is given. Finally, four specific protection goal options for regulatory ERA for pesticides and non-target terrestrial arthropods are proposed. These options serve to facilitate discussions between risk assessors and risk managers and hopefully are helpful to risk managers in selecting the specific protection goal(s) that could form the basis for developing new EFSA/EU Member State guidance on tiered risk assessment for plant protection products and non-target terrestrial arthropods. The current report has its focus on the environmental/ecological consequences of the specific protection goal options. Evaluation of the agronomic consequences of the proposed specific protection goal options needs further elaboration and research.