As the European Parliament gears up for the upcoming first reading of the new EU legislation on pesticides, the Health & Environment Alliance and Pesticides Action Network Europe have contributed to the debate by organising a workshop on 7 March 2007 to call for pesticide use reduction for better health, particularly of children and vulnerable groups.

The workshop was hosted by MEP Hiltrud Breyer, rapporteur for the Regulation on the placing of Plant Protection Products in the Market, and co-hosted by MEPs Erna Hennicot Schoepges, Dorette Corbey and Roberto Musacchio.

Dr Roberto Bertollini, Prof. Philippe Grandjean, other experts and stakeholders presented the latest scientific findings pointing to potential links between pesticide exposure and neurotoxicity to children’s developing brain as well as acute and chronic illnesses including allergies, asthma, several types of cancer and Parkinson’s disease.

HEAL and PAN Europe urged MEPs to “cut back on pesticides for healthier lives” and supported their demands with a briefing and a poster.

Please find below the final programme, press release, briefing and poster "Cutting back on pesticides for healthier lives", as well as presentations from the workshop.