Summary
This review synthesises the regulatory landscape for plant biostimulants across European Member States, documenting substantial variation in national laws and nomenclature. The authors identify significant heterogeneity in how these borderline substances—positioned between plant protection products and fertilisers—are regulated, creating operational uncertainties for producers, certifiers and enforcement bodies. The paper argues that harmonisation through amendment of EC Regulation 2003/2003 to include plant biostimulants as fertilising additives would resolve these inconsistencies and support market growth.
Regional applicability
This review is directly applicable to United Kingdom policy and practice, particularly regarding harmonisation with European regulatory frameworks post-Brexit. However, the UK may now diverge from these proposed EU amendments, requiring separate domestic legislative clarity on plant biostimulants.
Key measures
Regulatory status, classification, and legal definitions of plant biostimulants across Member States; scope of EC Regulation 2003/2003.
Outcomes reported
The paper provides an overview of plant biostimulant activities and the heterogeneous national legislative frameworks regulating them across European Member States. It identifies regulatory uncertainties and proposes harmonisation through amendment of EC Regulation 2003/2003.
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