Before a plant protection product may be placed on the market, its benefits and risks are evaluated in an approval procedure. This evaluation is performed by experts at various Swiss Confederation assessment agencies and forms the decision-making basis for the licensing authorities at the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO).
The Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) is the responsible assessment agency for the agricultural aspects. The expert reports are produced by Agroscope, specifically, for the assessment areas of product chemistry, agronomic application and efficacy, formation of residues on plant crops, and risks to non-target organisms (beneficials) and honey bees in the treated agricultural area.