03/06/2026
This week, the 28th International Akademie Fresenius Conference “Behaviour of Pesticides in Air, Soil and Water” brought together a diverse group of experts in Dusseldorf and online, including representatives from industry, authorities, research institutes and water utilities.
The conference sparked in-depth discussions across the pesticide regulatory and scientific community, covering the latest developments in environmental fate, risk assessment and monitoring. Participants explored perspectives from different regulatory zones and countries, and exchanged insights on how emerging challenges such as PFAS, TFA and digitalisation are shaping the future of pesticide evaluation.
📌 Representatives from the European Commission (DG SANTE and DG GROW) provided key updates on the evolving EU regulatory landscape, including PFAS-related developments and the ongoing simplification of chemicals legislation.
Key themes raised by participants included:
➡️ The increasing regulatory and scientific focus on PFAS pesticides and TFA formation
➡️ The need for harmonisation across EU zones and alignment of risk assessment approaches
➡️ Advances in modelling, mapping and digital tools to support environmental assessments
➡️ The growing role of precision application and low-risk/low-concern substances
➡️ Strengthening frameworks for biodiversity protection and non-target risk assessment
🔬 Discussions also highlighted innovation in monitoring and assessment, including on-site pesticide sensors, vulnerability mapping of catchments, and integrated modelling approaches such as ELINK-2.
🙏 A big thank you to our chairpersons Annette Rosenboom, Werner Pol and Dieter Schaefer, as well as to all speakers for sharing their insights and expertise!
🎙️ Klaus Berend, European Commission (DG SANTE), Jérémy Pinte, European Commission (DG GROW), Neil Mackay, FMC Agricultural Solutions, Natalie Konings, Claudio Mereu, Bird & Bird, Joachim Dayteg, AGES, Emilie FARAMA, ANSES, Emils Zarins, State Plant Protection Service Latvia, Katherine Lees, Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD), Liesa Brosens, VITO, Anton P**t, Ctgb, Mats Allmyr, KEMI, Eugene Georgiades, EPA New Zealand, Rena Isemer, Bayer Crop Science, Dr. Gunnar Kahl, Knoell, Gertie H.P. Arts, Wageningen University & Research, Fatima AlZahra'a Alatraktchi, Roskilde University, Gabriella Carlotta Fait, EFSA, Hendrik Boogaard, Wageningen University & Research, Sebastian Multsch, BASF.