date:Jul 17, 2013
The European Union added a pesticide made by German chemical firm BASF to its blacklist of substances suspected of playing a role in declining bee populations.
Member governments banned the use of agricultural insecticide fipronil to treat maize and sunflower seeds, the European Commission said.
The restrictions take effect from December 31 but seeds which have already been treated can be sown until the end of February 2014.
The ban follows similar EU curbs imposed in April on three of the wo