Guidelines on pesticide legislation. International code of conduct on pesticide management

Overview

The purpose of these Guidelines is to provide guidance to governments that seek to review, update or design national pesticide legislation. It should be emphasized, however, that legislation alone cannot ensure effective pesticide management and adequate protection of the environment and public health. Governments will need to have in place the necessary institutional infrastructure for registering pesticides and enforcing legislation. Further, it will require effective supporting policies and tools to promote sustainable pest and pesticide management. This may include promotion of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Integrated Vector Management (IVM) through training programmes and incentive schemes, enhancement of the availability and use of low risk products, fostering scientific research, carrying out public education campaigns and providing training for inspectors, retailers and professional users. A solid legislative framework should underpin the set of necessary institutional framework, policies and tools.

This document supersedes the Guidelines for Legislation on the Control of Pesticides of 1989.