Dear Ms. Gallina,
We, the 49 undersigned organisations committed to protecting human health and the environment, call on the European Commission to ensure that the active substance flufenacet is swiftly banned in the EU. According to the conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), flufenacet is an endocrine disruptor, with the potential to impact the developing brain in children and therefore does not meet the approval criteria set out in the Pesticide Regulation 1107/2009. It is also a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) and an important source of emission of Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA), an ultra-short PFAS that is now detected even in our most pristine water resources. The upcoming Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food, and Feed (SCoPAFF) meeting on 4 and 5 December presents a critical opportunity to act in the best interest of EU citizens, especially vulnerable groups such as young children, and of the environment. We call upon the Commission to present a proposal for the non-renewal of flufenacet to the Member States and work towards its prompt adoption.