Ingredient Index

Is Thiacloprid banned in Europe?

Banned in EU

Yes. The EU did not renew thiacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, and its approval lapsed in 2020 over reproductive-health and pollinator concerns. The US has registered it and keeps neonicotinoids in wide use.

CAS: 111988-49-9 Also seen as: Thiacloprid, Calypso, Biscaya

What the EU does

Banned by non-renewal. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/23 declined to renew the approval of thiacloprid, and its authorization lapsed on 3 February 2020. Under Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, an active substance that is not approved cannot be used in plant protection products in the EU.

EFSA had flagged thiacloprid as a candidate for a reproductive-toxicity classification, found groundwater contamination by its metabolites, and shared the broader pollinator concerns that drove the EU action on the neonicotinoid class. The result is a clean removal, not a restriction.

Citation Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/23 (non-renewal of thiacloprid); Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009

What the US does

Registered. Thiacloprid has been registered in the US, sold by Bayer as Calypso for fruit crops such as pome and stone fruit. More broadly, the US continues to register the neonicotinoid family that the EU has been cutting back, and the EPA's neonicotinoid review is still working through its proposed decisions.

So a substance the EU removed over reproductive-health and environmental concerns sits in a class the US keeps on the market. Residues can also reach the EU on imported produce, where thiacloprid is no longer allowed on domestic crops.

Citation US EPA registration (Calypso, reg. no. 264-806); EPA neonicotinoid registration review (ongoing)

Products that commonly contain it

In the US and on imports, thiacloprid is relevant mainly as:

A residue on treated fruit such as apples, pears, and stone fruit
A product sold to US growers under the Calypso name
Imported produce tested at the EU border, where it is not allowed

What to look for on a label

Thiacloprid is a farm input, not a label ingredient:

Buying organic avoids synthetic neonicotinoid insecticides
Washing produce reduces but does not remove all surface residue
In the EU, national residue-monitoring reports are the place to look

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Frequently asked questions

Is thiacloprid banned in Europe?

Yes. The EU did not renew its approval under Regulation (EU) 2020/23, and the authorization lapsed in February 2020, so it cannot be used on EU crops.

Why was it removed?

Over a likely reproductive-toxicity classification, groundwater contamination by its metabolites, and the pollinator concerns tied to neonicotinoids.

Is it still used in the US?

It has been registered in the US for fruit crops, and the US continues to allow neonicotinoids more broadly while the EPA review proceeds.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed October 1, 2026 · How we assign statuses