Emergency authorisations for plant protection products in Germany
Emergency authorisations under Article 53 allow products for at most 120 days. Where they are listed, which conditions apply and how to record the application.
Key points
- Legal basis: Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 and section 29 of the German Plant Protection Act.
- Duration: at most 120 days per emergency authorisation.
- Purpose: limited and controlled use where a danger to plant health cannot be contained by other reasonable means.
- Publication: in a separate BVL list with product, active substance, period, use and data sheet, not in the regular register.
- Use: usually restricted to professional users; the conditions and instructions in the data sheet are binding.
Try PhytAI free for 30 days
- No payment details needed
- Export all your data as CSV, JSON and Shapefile at any time
- from €59.00 a year
Sometimes there is no authorised product for an acute plant health problem. For such cases, EU law provides for emergency authorisations. In Germany they are granted by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL). They apply only for a short time, only for specific uses, and they are not listed in the regular register of plant protection products. This article explains what an emergency authorisation is, where to find it and what matters when applying and recording.
What an emergency authorisation is
Under Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, a member state may, in special circumstances, authorise the placing on the market of a plant protection product for a period not exceeding 120 days for limited and controlled use, where such a measure appears necessary because of a danger that cannot be contained by any other reasonable means. In Germany, section 29 of the Plant Protection Act governs the implementation, and the BVL is responsible.
According to the BVL, applications can be submitted by associations, authorities, companies and manufacturers of plant protection products. An emergency authorisation closes a gap for a particular crop and a particular pest; it is not a general authorisation of the product.
Where emergency authorisations are listed
The BVL publishes the emergency authorisations it has granted in tables on its website. Each row names:
- the product
- the active substance
- the period during which use is permitted
- the use, i.e. crop and pest
- a link to the data sheet with the details
The European Commission additionally publishes member states' emergency authorisations in the EU Pesticides Database. Important: emergency authorisations are not listed in the regular register of plant protection products. Anyone who only searches there will not find them.
The data sheet is decisive. It contains the instructions for use, conditions and restrictions, for example application rate, number of applications, pre-harvest interval or buffer distances.
Conditions for use
Several practical rules follow from the BVL's guidance:
- Respect the period: use is only permitted during the stated period. Afterwards the product may no longer be used for this purpose.
- Check crop and pest: the emergency authorisation only covers the stated use. Other crops or pests are not covered.
- Users: emergency authorisations usually restrict use to professional users; home and allotment gardens are excluded.
- Parallel trade: according to the BVL, parallel-traded products cannot take the place of the product named.
- Follow the conditions: application rate, number of applications, pre-harvest intervals and distances are in the data sheet.
Recording an application under an emergency authorisation
An application under an emergency authorisation also belongs completely in the plant protection records. The same mandatory details apply as usual: user, type of use, date, product, quantity, field with georeference, crop with EPPO code and, where the authorisation requires it, BBCH stage and time. The details are described in Plant protection records: required fields.
It also helps to note that the application was based on an emergency authorisation, with the period and a reference to the data sheet. This makes it easy to show during an inspection that the application took place within the permitted period and for the named crop. Keep the data sheet in the version that applied at the time of application.
Common mistakes
- application shortly after the period has ended, to use up the rest of a pack
- application in a crop not named in the emergency authorisation
- data sheet not read, conditions such as the pre-harvest interval or distances overlooked
- no reference to the emergency authorisation in the record
- confusion with a regular authorisation of the same product for other uses
Emergency authorisations and crop groups
Emergency authorisations often name crops with EPPO codes, sometimes as groups, for example for several lettuce types. Check whether your crop is part of the named group and whether exceptions are stated, such as certain species being excluded. If in doubt, the plant protection service of your federal state can advise.
How to proceed on the farm
- Clarify the problem: which crop, which pest, how severe? A conversation with an advisor or the plant protection service often helps before searching for products.
- Check regular authorisations: is there an authorised product for this use? Only if not does an emergency authorisation come into question.
- Search the BVL list: do crop, pest and period match your case?
- Read and file the data sheet: note conditions, application rate, number of applications, pre-harvest interval and distances.
- Plan and record the application: apply within the period, record it completely and note the link to the emergency authorisation.
- Keep the harvest in view: the pre-harvest interval from the data sheet applies until harvest; enter the earliest harvest date in your planning.
Emergency authorisations in PhytAI
PhytAI takes over the BVL list of emergency authorisations daily. When recording a plant protection application, PhytAI shows whether an emergency authorisation exists for the chosen product, the period it applies to, and whether the crop is named with its EPPO code or through a register group. Exceptions in the text are taken into account; if an exception is ambiguous, the notice says to check the text. A notice appears before expiry. The original text stays visible, and the decision and data sheet are decisive.
Frequently asked questions
May I use up a product after the emergency authorisation has expired? Use is only permitted during the stated period. Whether any periods for remaining stocks apply is stated in the data sheet where relevant; if in doubt, ask the plant protection service.
Why can't I find the emergency authorisation in the register of plant protection products? Emergency authorisations are published separately, in the BVL list and in the EU Pesticides Database.
Who can apply for an emergency authorisation? According to the BVL, among others associations, authorities, companies and manufacturers.
Sources
- BVL: Zulassungen für Notfallsituationen, as of 16 Sep 2026, retrieved 17 Sep 2026
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, Article 53, retrieved 14 Sep 2026
- Federal Ministry of Justice: Section 29 Pflanzenschutzgesetz, retrieved 17 Sep 2026
- European Commission: EU Pesticides Database, retrieved 17 Sep 2026
This article reflects the situation on the date shown, based on the sources named, and is not legal advice. Laws, approvals, official decisions and the guidance of the competent authorities prevail.