Pest management: an "essential" service

COVID-19
National Lobbying
PM "essential" service

The pest management industry has been defined as 'essential' in some European countries, thanks to pest management's support role for other crucial services (notably food supply, hospitals and schools). This is a national matter and as such is regulated individually by national governments. The EU refers to 'essential' services in the European Commission's Guidelines for Border Management Measures to Protect Health and Ensure the Availability of Goods and Essential Services, but does not dictate how the guidelines should be implemented.  

The document also states that control measures should not undermine the EU economy and stresses that the unobstructed transport of goods is crucial to maintaining availability, which could affect regulations around pest management due to connections between pest management and food storage. The document notably mentions the need to maintain the supply of "essential goods such as food supplies", in which certain pest managers play a role. 

Take a look at CEPA's Open Letter for pest management to de declared an "essential" service here. To find out how other CEPA members have been lobbying their governments, including templates and advice, click here.

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