EU pushes through restrictions on pesticides, aiming to protect bees
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The European Union has approved restrictions on three pesticides to better protect dwindling bee populations, to enter into force by December.
EU Health Commissioner Tonio Borg called Friday's decision a "milestone towards ensuring a healthier future for our honeybees." The move is backed by environmentalists but opposed by chemical companies.
Friday's official approval of the measure following a tentative deal last month restricts three neonicotinoid pesticides on plants and cereals that attract bees. It will last for two years unless decisive new information becomes available.
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Beekeepers have reported an unusual decline over the past decade, particularly in Western Europe. They say bees are critically important to the environment, sustaining biodiversity by providing pollination for a wide range of crops and wild plants — including most of Europe's food crops.