Integrated Pest Management (IPM) combines the use of cropping, biological and chemical practices to control pests in agricultural production. It seeks to use natural mechanisms, predators or parasites to control pests using selective pesticides as a last resort option, when pests cannot be controlled by natural or non-chemical means. It should not be confused with organic farming.

IPM does not exclude spraying of synthetic pesticides but promotes spraying with selective pesticides based on monitoring and threshold values only when needed.

Therefore altogether IPM contributes to the reduction of the dependency on pesticide use.

2.To assess the potential of the approaches identified above for reducing the dependency on pesticide use, and to prove their effectiveness. In particular, the study should list and assess the barriers (real and perceived) for the uptake of these approaches, and explain their roots and possible ways to overcome them;

3. To propose specific strategies on how to scale up good practices throughout the EU; and

4. To set up an EU-wide database containing the relevant information and guidance to enable farmers and advisory services to reduce the dependency on pesticide use and to provide strategies to disseminate this EU-wide database as widely as possible through the EU.