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Koppert

Koppert provides an integrated system of specialist knowledge and natural, safe solutions that improves crop health, resilience and production.

Lobbying Activity

Response to Food and Feed Safety Simplification Omnibus

10 Oct 2025

Koppert welcomes and supports the European Commission's omnibus simplification initiative. The proposal for modernizing Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market, is a significant step towards creating a modern market framework while reducing unnecessary administrative burdens and red tape. The review of Regulation 1107/2009 presents a vital opportunity to align the EU policy and regulatory framework with the evolving needs of sustainable agriculture and to accelerate the transition to safer, more environmentally friendly pest management solutions. We perceive integrated pest management (IPM) as a systemic approach and a cornerstone for safe and resilient food systems, wherein biocontrol should be central. We advocate for a biocontrol-based IPM. Therefore, as a company deeply committed to science based and farmer-centric solutions we view this initiative as a crucial step in providing farmers and growers with the tools they need for safe and sustainable plant protection while unlocking the full potential of biocontrol technologies across Europe. The European Parliament's own-initiative report (2025/2086(INI)) rightly emphasizes the urgent need to differentiate biological control agents from traditional chemical plant protection products (PPPs), given their distinct risk profiles and modes of action. The lack of a dedicated regulation for biological control has long hindered regulatory clarity, has delayed market access and resulted in diminishing returns on investments. We strongly support the Parliament's call for a clear legal definition and a dedicated framework for the expedited authorization of biological control products. This would not only enhance legal certainty and establish a level playing field but will also boost innovation and investment, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), stimulating the development of a competitive EU biocontrol sector. Several of the proposals brought forward by the International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association (IBMA) provide a solid roadmap for improving Regulation 1107/2009. Measures such as establishing priority lanes for biocontrol products, creating a centralized evaluation agency, and eliminating the re-registration requirement for these products are essential for reducing administrative burdens and accelerating market access. The current fragmented approach to mutual recognition and label expansion has created unnecessary barriers to market access, which need to be addressed initially in the review of Regulation 1107/2009 and subsequently with a dedicated regulation on biocontrol. These changes would enable farmers and growers to access safe, effective, low-risk plant protection products in a timely manner, thereby contributing to the EU's food safety and public health goals. Koppert also supports the European Parliament's recommendations for increased investment in institutional capacity, including staffing, training, and expertise. Dedicated help desks and producing updated guidance documents tailored to biological control products would enhance consistency and transparency across the EU. Furthermore, we echo the call for Member States' National Action Plans (NAPs) to include concrete measures for improving biocontrol authorization procedures and advisory systems, ensuring that farmers and growers have access to crop-specific guidance and training. In conclusion, the review of Regulation 1107/2009 is a timely and necessary step toward modernizing the EU's approach to crop protection and establishing safe and sustainable food systems. Koppert wishes to contribute constructively to this process. We urge the Commission to seize this opportunity to create a future-proof regulatory framework that supports innovation, protects ecosystems, and empowers farmers with effective, low-risk solutions. In the document attached to this submission you can read our detailed views on the review of 1107/2009.
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Response to Biotech Act

21 May 2025

Koppert welcomes the European Commissions initiative to develop a comprehensive EU Biotech Act and appreciates the opportunity to contribute to its consultation process. As an entity active for more than half a century in biological crop protection and natural pollination, we believe that biotechnology, particularly biocontrol, must be recognized as a cornerstone of Europes transition to sustainable and safe agriculture as well as to sustainable, resilient, and competitive food systems. The Biotech Act presents a unique opportunity to align innovation with the EU Green Deal, Farm to Fork Strategy, and Biodiversity Strategy. However, to fully realize this potential, the upcoming Act must explicitly include biocontrol technologies and create an enabling policy and regulatory environment that accelerates their development and deployment while maintaining the highest safety standards for people and the environment. Furthermore, proactive support and work towards a change in paradigm is needed by all sides hence the new act needs to lay the ground for that. For a detailed overview of our proposals regarding the upcoming biotech act, please read further in the document attached.
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Meeting with Jeannette Baljeu (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

24 Apr 2025 · Biocontrol

Meeting with Anna Strolenberg (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Apr 2025 · Biocontrol agents

Meeting with András Tivadar Kulja (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Oct 2024 · Biotech solutions

Meeting with Clara Aguilera (Member of the European Parliament)

30 Oct 2023 · Farm to Fork

Meeting with Camilla Laureti (Member of the European Parliament)

5 Jul 2023 · Dossier 2023 APA level

Meeting with Bas Eickhout (Member of the European Parliament)

6 Jun 2023 · Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products Regulation / Farm to fork

Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Mar 2023 · Sustainable use of pesticides, IPM

Response to Sustainable use of pesticides – revision of the EU rules

19 Sept 2022

As a European company being active in biological crop protection and natural pollination for growers all over the world, Koppert would like to share its feedback concerning the Sustainable Use of plant protection products and amending Regulation (SUR). We as Koppert believe the answers to the agricultural lies in nature itself. So we partner with nature . By using natural enemies to combat pests, bumblebees for pollination, microbials and biostimulants that support, protect and strengthen crops we improve plant health both above and underground. Therefore we welcome the targets set to reduce by 50% the use and risk of chemical pesticides as well as the use of the more hazardous pesticides by 2030 becoming legally binding on EU level. We would like to underline the importance of implementing these targets if we want to achieve the goals of the Farm to Fork strategy and the transition to sustainable agriculture; don’t let fear and uncertainty set the pace with the risk of not achieving the set goals. On the other hand, to make it really successful, we would like to underline the importance of a faster implementation/registration proces and acceptance of biological crop protection products to the EU market in order to provide the growers with a “green” alternative.
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Response to EU Action Plan Towards a Zero Pollution Ambition for air, water and soil

21 Oct 2020

As Koppert Biological Systems, producer of biological solutions for pest and disease management in horticulture and agriculture, we strongly support this EU Action Plan. We are often confronted with a knowledge gap on soil, so we embrace all initiatives to improve the knowledge level on soil. With more than 50 years of experience in biological solutions for agriculture, we have experienced that investing in improving the resilience of crops in a holistic approach, we are able to reduce the amount of artificial fertilizers and chemical crop protection products. As a result, we can reduce soil pollution and increase soil quality. To further reduce soil pollution, it is indispensable to increase the level of knowledge on soil. We experience soil exhaustion due excessive chemical crop protection products and overuse of artificial fertilizers. Investing in increasing soil health and agriculture based on natural principles is desperately needed. The EU should stimulate growers to use products and fertilizers that are based on natural principles and increase soil life and ecosystem services of soil. This can have a positive effect in two ways. Less chemical crop protection products and artificial fertillizers are needed and soil and crop quality will increase.
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Response to Action plan for the development of EU organic production

21 Oct 2020

A paradigm shift in the approach for agriculture is indispensable to achieve the organic targets that are formulated in the Green Deal. As producer of biological solutions for horticulture and agriculture we support an Organic Roadmap. We strongly believe in the resilience of nature to find the solutions for making horticulture and agriculture more sustainable. In the new Organic Regulation we see the attention for the role of natural principles for organic agriculture. As market leader in biological solutions in horticulture, we see a huge potential in both nature and technology for making agriculture more organic. With the use of beneficial insects and the use of microbiological solutions to foster plant health, we believe horticulture is very advanced in sustainability. With cultivations on for instance hydroponics and substrates and abovementioned methods, horticulture is able contribute to organic agriculture. It is therefore remarkable that cultivation on hydroponics and substrates are excepted from the organic definition. We plea to adopt these cultivation methods under organic methods, since they do not harm nature and biodiversity. Next to that, growers need to be guided in the transition from traditional agriculture to organic agriculture. Both with guidance and support from authorities and financial incentives during this transition. Streamlining organic certification is necessary to build a solid organic system in the EU. By making EU certification the leading certification system in for all national certification programs in order to have harmonization. The EU could foster a reliable system, upon which companies can anticipate and which guarantees a level playing field in the EU. Both for organic inputs and outputs, so clarity will be provided for users and consumers. At last, we would like to see general acceptance of application of biological crop protection, use of biostimulants, soil improvers and organic fertilizers, as defined in the Fertilizing Product Regulation, instead of the current restrictive list.
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