Obtaining approval for additives in plant protection products

As a manufacturer, you must have new additives in plant protection products tested and approved by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety.

Additives in crop protection products enhance their pesticidal effect, for example. They are also used, for example, in tank mixtures with crop protection products to improve the wetting or adhesion of crop protection products or to reduce foaming.

Additives must not have any harmful effects, in particular on human and animal health, groundwater and the natural balance.
If you, as a manufacturer or distributor of plant protection products, want to use and market a new additive, you must therefore have it tested and approved by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) beforehand.
The BVL makes the decision in cooperation with the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, the Federal Environment Agency and the Julius Kühn Institute.

The approval is granted for a period of 10 years. The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety publicly announces the approval of additives and the revocation of approvals in the Federal Gazette or in the Federal Gazette online.

You must submit the following documents:

• Formulation of the additive (Appendix 1).
• Intended use, intended area of application and intended crops, application rate (Appendix 2)
• Safety data sheets of the additives used
• safety data sheets of the additive
• draft directions for use
• any further studies required, for example, for use with insecticides, toxicological studies cited in the safety data sheet of the additive.

• Forms: yes
• Online procedure possible: no
• Written form required: yes
• Personal appearance required: no

Additives must not have any harmful effects, in particular on human and animal health, groundwater and the natural balance.

• Appeal.
• Detailed information on how to file an appeal can be found in the decision on your application.
• Administrative court action

You must submit an application to the BVL. Proceed as follows:

• Open the BVL website and download the "Application for the authorisation of an additive according to § 42 PflSchG". Please note the instructions for completing the application form.
• Complete the application on the computer, print it out, sign it and send it to the BVL by post or e-mail.
• The BVL will check your application.
• You will receive an approval or rejection by post

You do not have to meet any deadlines for approval.
Approval is granted for a period of 10 years.

As a rule, it takes 4 months until you receive a notice of approval from the BVL.

The permit will cost you between EUR 1,500 and EUR 6,200.