"EU Watchdog Says Pesticides Harmful To Bees, Industry Disagrees"

"BRUSSELS -- Widely-used pesticides made by Bayer CropScience and Syngenta pose a risk to bees, the European Union's food safety watchdog said on Wednesday, reinforcing previous research that led to EU restrictions.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which guides EU policymakers, said leaf spray containing three neonicotinoid pesticides could harm bees, whose pollinating role is estimated to be worth billions of euros for the bloc's farm sector.

'The protection of bees and the protection of pollinators is one of the essential elements that we consider in the risk assessment of pesticides,' the EFSA said in a statement."

Barbara Lewis reports for Reuters August 26, 2015.