News Details

On 27 May 2026, the European Union published Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1123  laying down new labelling requirements for plant protection products and repealing Regulation (EU) No 547/2011.

The new Regulation introduces mandatory digital labels for plant protection products, updated hazard communication requirements, and revised standard phrases for risk mitigation measures. It also aligns certain labelling elements with the revised EU Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) framework, including changes introduced under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/707 and Regulation (EU) 2024/2865.

Digital Labels and CLP Alignment

Under the new rules, plant protection products must include both a physical label and a digital label. A data carrier linking to the digital label must be printed on the physical label. The digital label must be accessible free of charge and without the need for an account.

According to the Regulation, digital labels may support functions such as larger fonts, translation options, auto-search tools and integration with precision agriculture technologies. The Commission also noted that digital labels could facilitate the transfer of authorised conditions of use to application machinery and support digital reporting requirements.

The Regulation further updates labelling requirements to align with revised CLP requirements, including new hazard classes introduced under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/707. Revised standard phrases and attribution criteria are also introduced for hazards, disposal, resistance management and environmental protection measures.

New Bee Hazard Communication Requirements

The Regulation introduces a dedicated bee hazard phrase and pictogram for plant protection products considered hazardous to bees and other pollinators.

Additional standard phrases are also established for pollinator protection measures, including restrictions related to application timing, flowering crops and flowering weeds.

The Regulation further introduces revised standard phrases for operators, workers, bystanders and environmental protection, including measures related to buffer zones, drift reduction technologies and treated seeds.

Application Dates and Transitional Measures

The Regulation will enter into force 20 days after publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and will apply from 1 January 2028.

As a transitional measure, Regulation (EU) No 547/2011 will continue to apply to products authorised or renewed on the basis of applications submitted before 1 January 2028. However, all plant protection product labels must include a digital label by 1 January 2030 at the latest.