European Affairs Deputy Minister Marilena Raouna on Monday hailed the European Union’s new simplified rules regarding the use of biocides in food and feed production, while the Council of the EU stressed that the new rules will “maintain … the EU’s very strict requirements for food and feed safety”.

“The law adopted today demonstrates that targeted amendments can deliver significant results for our industries. By extending certain data protection periods, we ensure fair treatment for companies while safeguarding fair competition within the internal market, in view of the upcoming full evaluation of EU rules on biocides,” Raouna said.

She added that the passage of the new rules “represents another concrete deliverable” achieved during Cyprus’ six-month term as the holder of the Council of the EU’s rotating presidency, under what she described as the “simplification agenda”.

This she added, “remains a central priority of our work”.

The Council of the EU, meanwhile, said that the new rules aim “to improve the functioning of the biocidal products market in the EU, while ensuring a high level of protection for humans and the environment”.

Biocidal products are used, typically in farming, to control, destroy and repel microorganisms and organisms using chemical or biological means.

The passage of the new rules comes as part of one of the EU’s simplification omnibuses – packages of legislative changes aimed at simplifying and reducing the volume of European legislation – with regulations related to food and feed safety forming the tenth and final omnibus.

Thus far, three simplification omnibuses, concerning sustainability, EU investments and the bloc’s common agricultural policy, have already been completed.

The fourth omnibus, presented by the European Commission last September, concerns regulations related to small- and medium-sized businesses and digitalisation, while the fifth, presented in November, concerns defence readiness, and the sixth, which was also presented in November, concerns regulations related to chemicals.

November also saw the commission present the seventh omnibus, which concerns the digital sector, while the final three omnibuses were presented in December, concerning the environment, the automotive industry and food safety.

Raouna had said earlier in the year that “we must cut red tape”, stressing that “the administrative burden on our business remains too high”.

“All together, these ten legislative packages … are expected to save approximately €15 billion for our businesses and our economy. That is not red tape reduction on paper; it is real money back in the pockets of European companies,” she said.

However, she was also keen to stress that “simplification does not mean deregulation”, and that additionally, barriers restricting trade between EU member states must be tackled if simplification measures are to take any effect.

“Reducing administrative burdens is impossible if barriers prevent the free movement of goods among member states. These barriers cost us growth, jobs and competitiveness for every single day that they remain in place. Progress has already been made, but work must continue at full speed,” she said.

The European Commission has referred to these “barriers” between member states as “outdated product rules, slow standard-setting and inconsistent national regulations” between member states.

“This makes it harder to sell, scale, or move goods and services across borders,” it said.