Biostimulants legislation

Fertilisers in Switzerlands must be authorised before they can be put on the market. The competent authority for the authorisation of fertilisers is the BLW (Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft).

Fertilisers are considered substances that enhance plant growth, yield and that improve their quality. Are not considered fertilisers that do not contain sufficiently nutrients, organic matter or trace elements. Which substances are legally a fertiliser (or not) is defined in the regulation on the placing on the market of fertilisers (Dünger-Verordnung, DüV).

 

Switzerland makes a difference between:

 

- Fertilisers that must be authorised prior to marketing

- Fertilisers that must be notified

- Fertilisers that don't need to be notified

 

In some cases, though, even fertilisers that don't need to be notified sometimes need a notification, for instance, when they contain a substance that is hazardous to water.

 

The following fertilisers must be authorised prior to placing on the market:

 

- Fertilisers that don't correspond to any of the fertiliser types in Annex 1 of the DüBV (Düngerbuch-Verordnung, DüBV). For instance, when the necessary nutrient contents are not met.

- Fertiliser additifs, except farm fertiliser additives

- Cultures of microorganisms for the treatment of soil, seeds or plants.

- Products to influence biological soil processes (e.g. nitrification inhibitors)

- Fertilisers to which microorganisms have been added or which contain GMOs or pathogens

- Fertilisers consisting of animal by-products. However, some are excluded for this group: see here.

- Fertilisers produced from slaughterhouse sludge, cutting plants or meat processing plants

- Soil improvers touted as foliar fertilisers

- Mineral recycled fertilisers

 

The following fertilisers must be notified in the Chemical Product Register (RPC - Produktregister Chemikalien)

 

- Organic and organic-mineral fertilisers on Annex I, Part 3 of the DüBV, fertiliser types 910-981, with or without the addition of trace elements (Annex 1, Part 4 of the DüBV)

- Micronutrient fertiliser type n° 1340 (Annex 1, Part 4 of the DüBV)

- Organic and organic-mineral soil improvers (Annex 1, Part5, paragraph 7 and 8 of the DüBV, fertiliser type 1810-1910)

 

If a fertiliser, that normally would not need notification or authorisation, contains a hazardous substance, it must be notified. More information can be found here.