Conference during Cyprus Presidency, 2026
Preventing Pesticide Effects on Children’s Health
and Protecting the Environment
Date: Thursday 19 February 2026 (from 8:30am to 1pm) local Cyprus time
Organizers: PAN Europe in cooperation with the Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health (CII), Cyprus University of Technology.
Location: University of Cyprus, Main Library Amphitheater, Nicosia, Cyprus (Click the link for map)
Background & Rationale
The Mediterranean region is experiencing accelerating climate impacts — rising temperatures, severe water scarcity, prolonged droughts and rapid biodiversity decline. These challenges threaten agricultural resilience and the long-term sustainability of food production.
At the same time, scientific evidence shows that children are disproportionately vulnerable to pesticide exposure due to developmental sensitivity, higher intake relative to body weight, and multiple exposure pathways (food, water, household dust, proximity to fields). In Mediterranean agricultural areas, these risks are amplified.
Cyprus, with its unique ecosystem and increasing pressure on water resources, is well placed to host a high-level conference bridging preventive health and wellbeing, environmental and public health, water protection, and sustainable farming — while bringing forward new research from Cyprus on children’s health and pesticides exposure.
This conference will also address urgent new policy concerns at EU level, in particular the European Commission’s proposal to backlash current framework of pesticide authorisation including to allow unlimited pesticide approvals, which would fundamentally weaken scientific safeguards.
Target Audience
Objectives of the Conference and expected outcome
PROGRAMME
Welcome – Registrations – Networking (8:30am – 9am)
Opening Remarks and Salutation (9am)
Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology
Panel 1 — Addressing the COM Proposal - Backlash in Pesticide regulation? (9:15am-10am)
Chair: Dr. Agapios Agapiou, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Cyprus
This urgent panel will examine the European Commission’s 2025 proposal allowing openended, potentially unlimited pesticide approvals, which would undermine scientific assessment, endanger human health and environment, and contradict principles of precaution and sustainability.
Panel 2 — Pesticide Contamination, PFAS Pesticides, Children’s Health and Pesticide
Exposure (10-11am)
Chair: Dr. Andrie Panayiotou, Associate Professor, Cyprus International Institute for
Environmental and Public Health (CII), Cyprus University of Technology
C. Makris, Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology) (15mins)
(Dr. Angeliki Lysimachou, PAN Europe) (15 mins)
University of Technology, and Dr. Souzana Achilleos, University of Nicosia and Cyprus Epidemiology and Public Health Association) (15 mins)
Coffee Break (11:00 – 11:30am)
Panel 3 — Reducing Pesticide Dependency (11:30-12:30)
Chair: Dr. Ioannis Paschalidis, Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Cyprus
(Lyssandros Lyssandrides, Head of Plant Protection, Department of Agriculture, Cyprus Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment) (12 mins)
Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology) (12 mins)
Panel 4 — Panel discussion on Moving forward towards a sustainable and healthy future of vulnerable populations (12:30-1pm) (emphasis on Omnibus and Mercosur deals)
Facilitator: Mr. Gergely Simon, PAN Europe
Closing Session at 1pm
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Feel free to share to your networks - We would like to invite you to the upcoming high-level conference organized during the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union (program attached):
Preventing Pesticide Effects on Children’s Health and Protecting the Environment
📅 Date: Thursday, 19 February 2026
🕣 Time: 08:30 – 13:00 (local Cyprus time)
📍 Venue: University of Cyprus, Main Library Amphitheater, Nicosia, Cyprus
🤝 Organizers: Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health (CII), Cyprus University of Technology in cooperation with Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe
About the Conference
The Mediterranean region is facing accelerating climate impacts, severe water scarcity and biodiversity loss, placing increasing pressure on agricultural systems and food production. At the same time, growing scientific evidence shows that children are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposures, with heightened risks in agricultural areas. This conference will bring together EU and national decision-makers, scientists, health professionals, farmers’ organisations, and civil society to address the health and environmental risks of pesticide use, present new research from Cyprus, and discuss policy developments at EU level — including the European Commission’s recent proposal on pesticide deregulation.
Key Topics
Featured confirmed speakers (selected)
Representatives from the Cyprus government, NGOs, academia, Organic farmers association, Beekeepers association, Union of agriculture scientists will also actively participate.
Please register - We would be honored by your participation in this timely discussion on protecting children’s health, safeguarding the environment, and advancing sustainable agriculture in Europe.
REGISTRATION LINK