By Lisa M. Campbell and Heather F. Collins, M.S.
On November 19, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) Stakeholder Forum will take place on December 4, 2018, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. (EST) and on December 5, 2018, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EST) at the Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Place, in Washington, D.C. The RCC brings together senior regulatory officials, industry, and other members of the public from both sides of the U.S.-Canada border to promote economic growth, innovation, competitiveness, and job creation through the elimination of unnecessary regulatory differences between the U.S. and Canada. Canadian and U.S. regulators will provide progress reports on existing regulatory cooperation efforts and solicit public input on new opportunities for regulatory cooperation.
During the forum, EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) and Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) will lead a breakout session that will include updates on the successes of the 2016 work plan and cooperation between the two agencies pertaining to pesticide registration. The U.S. and Canadian agencies are working together to:
- Collaborate on a bilateral pesticide re-evaluation for three neonicotinoid pesticides (i.e., imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, and clothianidin) employing a new pollinator risk assessment framework;
- Develop best practices for coordinated work planning for the re-evaluation of registered pesticides;
- Develop new and/or alternative approaches to testing and assessment, including reducing the need for animal testing wherever possible;
- Align pesticide residue trial requirements by prospectively determining the number of residue field trials required for joint registrations; and
- Jointly develop information technology solutions that facilitate the submission of applications to either regulatory authority.
Additionally, both offices hope to hear feedback from stakeholders to help inform a new three-year pesticide programs work plan for 2019-2021.
Specific times for this and other breakout sessions, as well as more detail, will be made available online. The Stakeholder Forum is open to the public, with advance registration. Space is limited and registrations will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis. Registration is available online.
