25th Meeting of the Panel on Efficacy Evaluation of Herbicides and Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs)

Teleconference, 2026-01-20

 

The Panel on Efficacy Evaluation of Herbicides and Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs) considers all aspects of data requirements for efficacy evaluation of these products and promotes harmonisation of data requirements to facilitate communication and regulatory data exchange on Herbicides and PGRs between authorities in different countries and between industry (applicants). A list of members and the Terms of Reference of the Panel are available on the EPPO website.

 

The Panel meeting was held online, on January 20, 2026. The meeting was chaired by EPPO Scientific Officers Mr Lucchesi (Chair) and attended by Mr Martínez Pérez and eleven Panel members from eleven EPPO countries, and one CropLife Europe representative.

 

The Panel continued its work on preparing Standards for conducting field trials to evaluate the efficacy of herbicides and plant growth regulators.

 

The Panel finalised a new Specific Standard for herbicides:

  • PP 1 (NEW) Efficacy evaluation of herbicides when long-term control of perennial weeds is claimed. This Standard intends to focus on providing more detailed description for assessments of perennial weeds when long-term control of perennial weeds is claimed in perennial crops, in annual crops, between crops, and in non-crop areas.

 

The Panel also worked on the revision of one Specific Standards for PGRs:

  • PP 1/156 Accelerated ripening of oilseed crops and large-grain legumes. The revision will incorporate efficacy assessment of desiccants in sunflower.

 

It is expected that these Standards will be sent for country consultation this year.

 

The Panel also worked on General Standards of relevance for herbicides and PGRs:

  • Revision of PP 1/207 Effects on succeeding crops
  • Revision of PP 1/256 Effects on adjacent crops
  • PP1 (NEW) Principles for conducting efficacy trials for PPP adjuvants in order to define their field of use

 

These Standards will be finalised by the EPPO Panel on General Standards for Efficacy Evaluation.

 

The Panel was updated regarding the progress made on the EPPO Resistance Cases Database and the EPPO Database on PPP Data Extrapolation over the past year.

 

 

 

Screenshots of one of the presentations and Standards revised during the meeting

 

The next meeting of the Panel will take place on 19/20 January 2027 (by teleconference or venue to be confirmed).