Bee crisis: EU court backs near-total neonicotinoids ban Published duration 17 May 2018

image copyright AFP image caption Bees play a crucial role in food production and the ecosystem

The EU's top court has backed an almost complete EU-wide ban on the use of three insecticides, which studies have linked to declining bee populations.

Chemicals giants Bayer and Syngenta had gone to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) hoping to get the restrictions on neonicotinoids overturned.

Many honeybee colonies have collapsed.

Scientific studies have found that the chemicals can disorientate bees, harming their ability to pollinate and return to hives.

Some other factors - notably mites and fungus - have also been blamed for the widespread bee decline.

The three neonicotinoids to be severely restricted in the EU are: clothianidin, thiamethoxam and imidacloprid.

Currently they are widely used, but from next year farms will have to find alternatives.

In a separate ruling, the ECJ backed chemicals giant BASF in its complaint against EU restrictions on fipronil, a different class of pesticide. So the current EU regulation that restricts fipronil will have to be amended.