Act No 455 of May 6 2015 on plant protection products

Enterprises must register with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) in order to import plant protection products to Norway.

Major requirements are:

1. Registration of distributors, importers and producers, cf. § 10

All enterprises must register with Mattilsynet in order to import plant protection products to Norway. Importers shall have responsible personnel with sufficient professional expertise to be able to give guidance to distributors, and to act as a contact person for Mattilsynet.

Amendments to the registered information shall be reported as soon as possible, and no later than three weeks after the amendments took place.

2. Importers obligation to take delivery of returned goods, cf. § 13

 When the approval period of a plant protection product has expired, the importer is required to take delivery of return products in unopened packages from distributors or wholesalers. Distributors or wholesalers shall cover the return expenses.

When the approval of a plant protection product is withdrawn by Mattilsynet with immediate effect, unopened packages shall be returned to the importer. The importer shall cover the return expenses.

The importer shall have a storage room at his disposal that meets the requirements of § 24, in which to place the products that have been returned according to the first and second paragraph.

3. Storage of plant protection products, cf. § 24

All storage of plant protection products for professional use shall be done as follows:

•  the products shall be stored according to its labelling in a tight and locked cupboard or room clearly labelled with the EU standard toxic symbol (skull and crossbones) and the word “POISON”,
• the cupboard or room shall be kept clean, and if necessary for the products concerned, effectively and continually ventilated with fresh air,
• nothing but plant protection products, as well as other chemicals, including liquid fertilizers, shall be stored inn the cupboard or room,
• opened packages shall be stored in a closed and tight container, and
• no kind of goods is to be placed underneath cupboards where plant protection products are stored.

The storage of plant protection products for non-professional use (ready to useproducts and concentrated products) shall be done as follows:

•  the products shall be stored according to its labelling, and separate from cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, fodder and foodstuffs, and
• opened packages shall be stored in a closed and tight container.

Concentrated products for non-professional use are also required to be stored in a locked cupboard or room.

4.Handling and return of existing stocks, empty packaging and unused plant protection Products, cf. § 25

Plant protection products that are not to be used, and empty packages that have not been cleaned, shall be disposed of at a licensed collection facility for hazardous waste. When the authorization of a plant protection product for professional use expires, the product may still be sold for six months, unless a shorter grace period has been decided. Similarly, the product may be used and stored for 18 months after the expiring date.

Packaging that have been cleaned according to the directions on the label can be disposed of as ordinary waste.

5.Requirements to organisms for biological pest control, cf. § 27

Macrobiological plant protection products, and products containing other organisms that are not covered by the definition of microorganisms in Regulation (EU) No. 1107/2009, and which are intended for biological pest control, can only be imported, sold or used when approved by Mattilsynet.

Approval of organisms can be given when

• the name and biology of the product has been demonstrated,
• the product does not impose unacceptable adverse effects on human and animal health,
• there is no reason to believe that the product will cause substantial adverse effect on the biodiversity,
• the quality and durability of the product are satisfactory,
• the product has satisfactory agronomical efficacy,
• representative uses and doses of the product has been described and demonstrated, and the packaging and labelling of the product fulfil the guidelines laid down by Mattilsynet.

Mattilsynet may require that the product is tested experimentally according to Norwegian conditions.

Application for approval must be submitted to Mattilsynet.

 

• Act No 455 of May 6 2015 on plant protection products
• Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market
• Information from the Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) regarding plant protection products