Joint webinar calls for clarity on ABPs in EU fertilising products, including biostimulants
September 2024
On September 17th EBIC, in partnership with the European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertiliser Industry (ECOFI), the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP), and Eurofema, co-hosted a webinar titled “Animal By-Products (ABPs) in the EU Fertilising Products Regulation: Enhancing Circularity, Ensuring Safety, and Supporting Competitiveness.” The event attracted over 400 participants from across the fertilising and agricultural sectors, underscoring the importance of ongoing discussions around the regulatory framework affecting fertilising products – including biostimulants, containing component materials derived from animal by-products (ABPs).
The webinar offered a platform for EBIC and its industry partners to spotlight the critical regulatory barriers that currently limit the use of ABPs in fertilising products on the EU market. While the EU’s focus on circularity and sustainability is well publicised, policy misalignments, particularly within the Animal By-Products Regulation (ABPR) and the Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR), hinder the effective recycling of animal by-products which would otherwise be discarded into innovative, sustainable fertilising products. EBIC used this opportunity to continue advocating for a revision of the EU regulatory architecture governing animal-origin materials.
Kristen Sukalac (EBIC) opened the event by addressing the strategic importance of ABPs for the EU’s goal of open strategic autonomy and nutrient circularity. She emphasised how outdated regulatory procedures, particularly within the Animal By-Products Regulation (ABPR), are creating unnecessary confusion and inefficiencies, ultimately preventing innovative products from reaching farmers. This issue was reinforced by a joint presentation from EBIC and ECOFI highlighting how existing regulations create bottlenecks for the biostimulants sector, despite the fact that hydrolysed proteins of animal origin offer significant agronomic benefits and biostimulant effects, but so far continue be omitted from the FPR framework.
EBIC’s call for regulatory clarity
During the webinar, Chiara Manoli presented on behalf of EBIC, outlining the benefits of hydrolysed proteins in agricultural applications, particularly their ability to improve nutrient use efficiency, crop quality, and stress tolerance. Manoli further emphasised the safe, longstanding use of a wide variety of hydrolysed proteins across various EU Member States under national authorisations, but stressed that current EU regulations fail to reflect this history.
EBIC reiterated its call to the EU Commission for immediate clarity on the scope of hydrolysed proteins under review for inclusion in Component Material Category 10 of the FPR. This regulatory uncertainty continues to obstruct product development and hinders European farmers’ access to tools that could improve nutrient uptake; increase tolerance to abiotic stress and enhance crop quality. EBIC also echoed the industry’s broader concern over the lack of coherence between the ABPR and FPR, which poses challenges for the development of a competitive circular economy and stifles innovation.
Industry support for joint solutions
EBIC emphasised the importance of a joint approach between industry and regulators to resolve these policy incoherencies. As part of the broader industry alliance, EBIC joined ECOFI and ESPP in a renewed plea to the European Commission to ensure that competitiveness is not compromised by stringent regulations that force companies to disclose sensitive commercial information as a condition for market access.
EBIC’s call was echoed by representatives from other key industry stakeholders, including the European Compost Network, the European Biogas Association, and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, who also highlighted additional ABP materials currently absent from the FPR. The consensus among the participants was clear: regulatory reform is necessary to unlock the full potential of these materials in achieving the EU’s circularity goals.
Engaging with the EU Commission
Participants were given the opportunity to engage with representatives from DG GROW and DG SANTE, who presented on the current intersection of the regulatory frameworks governing ABPs and fertilising products and provided insights into the future processes for adding materials to the FPR’s CMC 10. This open dialogue allowed EBIC and other industry stakeholders to address their concerns directly to the Commission.
As EBIC continues its advocacy, it remains committed to ensuring that the regulatory landscape evolves in a way that supports innovation, boosts European farming competitiveness, and strengthens the EU’s strategic autonomy while supporting Europe’s transition to sustainable food systems. Further materials and presentations from the webinar will be made available soon.
For more information about EBIC’s role in shaping policy and supporting the biostimulants industry, or to join our advocacy efforts, please visit our website or contact our Secretariat.
Thanks to
EBIC would like to thank its partners, particularly ECOFI, for their collaboration in making this event a success, and extend gratitude to ESPP and to the other speakers, including those from DG GROW, DG SANTE, the European Compost Network, the European Biogas Association, and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.