Two new SPRINT policy briefs translate project findings into recommendations for strengthening EU pesticide risk assessment across the full regulatory cycle, from assessment before approval to surveillance under real-world conditions of use.

The first brief focuses on pre-market risk assessment. The second brief addresses post-market surveillance. SPRINT findings show that pesticide mixtures are widespread in air, water, soil, aquatic sediments, indoor dust and human samples, while measured environmental concentrations do not always correspond closely with regulatory predictions. The brief also highlights fragmented monitoring, limited human biomonitoring and weak links between surveillance findings and decisions on pesticide approvals and risk management.

These findings are translated into recommendations linked to existing EU monitoring and environmental policy. The brief calls for stronger pesticide monitoring and risk-based benchmarks under the Water Framework Directive, the Environmental Quality Standards Directive and the new Soil Monitoring Directive; harmonised human biomonitoring programmes and biological guidance values; and improved pesticide-use data under the SAIO Regulation (EU) 2022/2379. It also recommends that post-market evidence feed more systematically into reviews of active substances and product authorisations under Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, including decisions to restrict or withdraw approvals where unacceptable risks are identified.

Together, the briefs call for a continuous evidence loop: more realistic and sensitive assessment before pesticides are approved, followed by coordinated monitoring under real-world conditions. This would help ensure that EU pesticide regulation and policies such as the Zero Pollution Action Plan remain responsive to emerging evidence and provide a high level of protection for human health and the environment.