BUDAPEST EVENT 2019

Zorka Prljević is a Deputy Director for phytosanitary policy in Directorate for Foodsafety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs in Montenegro. Her main activities are coordination and organization of working process in the following areas: plant health, PPPs, fertilizers, seeds and seadling material and organization of work of phytosanitary inspection in Montenegro. She is also chief of negotiating group fot Chapter 12 Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy and member of team for authorization/recognition of PPPs in Montenegro. Previously, Zorka  worked as director of Phytosanitary administration and as adviser to the Ministry of agriculture, where she was involved in all parts of phytosanitary activites. She is also active as external lecturer at the Faculty of Food Technology, Food Safety and Ecology, University of Donja Gorica- Podgorica, Montenegro.

Lenka Gurská Krajčovičová works at the Department of pesticides registration of the Central control and testing institute in agriculture in Bratislava (ÚKSÚP). She is responsible for coordinating plant protection products registration process including communication with the applicants, member state authorities and expert institutes, incorporating the evaluation results in the label and processing the registration certificates.

Before joining ÚKSÚP she worked in a testing laboratory conducting various chemical and ecotoxicological analyses.

She holds a master´s degree in environmental ecology from the Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Slovakia.

After graduating at Wageningen Agricultural University in 1984, Hans Mattaar joined Rhône-Poulenc Agro, in the position of Regulatory Affairs Expert for the Netherlands. From this position he moved on to the European Regulatory Team in 1992 as a coordinator for European regulatory affairs. During his career he expanded his area of interest from science to law, and from there it was a small step to the politics. He held the position of European Public & Governmental Affairs (PGA) Manager and Regulatory Strategy Manager for the last 7 years of his corporate career, while RPA merged with AgrEvo into Aventis CropScience, and then became part of Bayer CropScience. In January 2008 he left Bayer to pursue a career as Senior Advisor with Pappas & Associates, Attorneys at Law, in Brussels. In his current role he provides strategic and regulatory advice to businesses who operate in a regulated environment, both on operational and on organisational issues. In parallel to that he holds the position of Technical Director for ECCA, the European Association for the post-patent agrochemical industry, since June 2012, and for AgroCare, the Global Association for the post-patent industry since September 2016.

Pavel Minář is a MSc. graduate in horticultural production and holds a Ph.D. in Phytopathology from Mendel University in Brno. His career in plant protection started at an ornamental plants production facility, where he was responsible for growing technologies. In 1990 he joined the Czech PPP regulatory authority (Central Institute for Supervision and Testing in Agriculture) where he was involved in the field testing and evaluation of registration trials for 8 years. From 2000 onwards he was responsible for GEP certification and methodology for biological efficacy testing. From 2005 he is the Head of the PPP Branch of the Central Institute for Supervision and Testing in Agriculture (UKZUZ) responsible for the authorisation process and for post-registration inspections of pesticides. He represents the Czech Republic at the Standing Committee for the Food Chain and Animal Health and at EU Council Working Groups.

Murielle Alazet is Regulatory Manager of Oro Agri International Ltd company since July 2012. Her career in the plant protection industry started in 1998 with a position of Assistant to the regulatory manager(s) for Europe and Africa and Middle East in Arysta Lifescience in France. In 2008 she joined AAKO BV company from The Netherlands as a Registration Manager for Africa and Middle East. After this four-year experience regarding chemical and biological products regulatory issues specific for mentioned regions of the globe her desire was to expand her know-how to biological products. Currently she is authoring and supporting application dossiers at European level both for the active substance and for the formulated products.

Zdravka Sever is a Head of Department for Plant Protection Products and Biocides at Center for Plant Protection, Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food. Her main activities are coordination and organization of evaluation process in authorization procedure of PPPs, biocides and active substances, communication and cooperation with Competent Authorities on national and EU level as well as with applicants and experts involved in assessment. She is also expert for evaluation of PPPs in the field of residues and analytical methods for determination of residues. Previously, Zdravka Sever worked as Young researcher at University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Pathology, where she was involved in research of plant pathogenic fungi and participated in lectures for students. Her educational background includes Graduate studies “Plant Protection” and Postgraduate doctoral studies “Agricultural Sciences” from the scientific field Biotechnical sciences, Agriculture, Phytomedicine.

Amélie Grimaldi is the reference senior regulatory consultant within Staphyt Regulatory, a European Consultancy Company which has existed for 20 years. Following a master’s degree in agronomy and in analytical chemistry (AgroParisTech), Amélie started work in a laboratory for the chemical analysis of food matrices. She then joined, as junior consultant, a French Consultancy Company (Ambrosi Scientific Consulting which became Staphyt Regulatory in 2015-17). For over 17 years, she has specialised in residues, e-fate modelling and regulatory strategy and submissions. She is now the regulatory reference for regulatory strategy for European stakeholders within Europe. Amélie is also the technical adviser of the expert team of thePPP department in Staphyt Regulatory. 

José Joao Carvalho (PhD Chemistry) is Head of Business Development and Regulatory Policy for Crop Protection at knoell Germany GmbH, an independent service provider for Regulatory Affairs and Product Registrations in the market for more than 20 years. With his regional teams, José is looking after new regulatory policies and guidance development in the different regions, focusing on regulatory frameworks impacting agriculture productivity: plant protection products (chemical and non-chemical solutions), new application technologies, plant heath & nutrition and soil health. Previously he was a European Regulatory Manager for crop protection products, coordinating active ingredient and product’s dossiers for approval by national regulatory agencies in different regions.

He holds a PhD in Chemistry by the Humboldt University in Berlin and a Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences by Porto University in the field of animal immunology. José authored more than 10 articles in international peer-reviewed journals and 2 book chapter for the UK Royal Society of Chemistry, in the field of environmental contaminants. Before joining the private sector in 2011, he was a researcher in governmental institutions in Germany (Federal Institute for Materials Science and Testing, BAM), France (Institute for Agronomic Research, INRA) and Portugal.

Daniel Sompolski joined the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in 2010 and is in charge of poison centres project under CLP Regulation since 2017. He is responsible for coordinating activities related to preparation of regulatory guidance, development of IT tools and stakeholders’ engagement. Earlier he was in charge of settling data-sharing disputes under REACH and Biocidal Products Regulation.

Before joining the Agency, he worked at the Ministry of Agriculture in Warsaw in the area of authorisation of plant protection products.

Mr Sompolski studied at the universities of Wrocław, Dresden and Vienna and holds a masters’s degree in chemistry. Mr Sompolski is Polish.

Since 2010 David has been in place as the inaugural Executive Director of IBMA – this dynamic global trade association with a strong European focus. His career path has been focused on IPM, resistance management, implementation of biocontrol techniques, and systems based control of pests and diseases.

David is passionate about reducing the reliance on traditional pesticides through finding, developing, registering and bringing to market new solutions to feed a growing world population whilst respecting biodiversity, the environment and protecting human health.

David is an entomologist by training and spent several years co-ordinating, conducting, assessing, reporting efficacy trials and supervising regulatory compliance for biological agricultural inputs.

Aleksandra Gniado is an experienced regulatory consultant who specializes in Plant Protection Products and Biocides Regulations in Poland.

She started working for the chemical industry in 2008 offering support in marketing and regulatory affairs. She joined international regulatory consultancy in 2013 helping international companies place their products on the EU markets. She participated in numerous professional trainings in the field of law and science. Currently she works for Artemisa Poland as regulatory expert and project manager.

Aleksandra has a degree in political science and environmental protection from University of Warsaw. 

Maristella has graduated in Biology and has a PhD in Industrial and Environmental Hygiene with an extensive experience in scientific issues related to phytosanitary legislation and risk assessment for plant protection products and biocides, spanning over 30 years.

She is working at Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Italy) since 1986, currently in the position of Head of Unit for authorization of plant protection products and biocides according to EU procedures.

She also records over 30 years of accomplishment working on EU chemical legislation and projects/programmes involving institutional development and capacity building especially in the area of implementing legislation related to chemicals. Additionally to that she has long experience in working as expert among scientific and official fora such as EU COM, ECHA, EFSA, OCSE, FAO, WHO and other international organisations.

Current position of Mr. Szalkai Gábor is Managing Director of Hungarian Crop Protection Association (HUCPA), which represents the crop protection industry in Hungary. Members of HUCPA develop innovative and science-based solutions that keep crops healthy and contribute to provide Hungarians and Europeans a safe, affordable, healthy, and sustainable food supply.

Gábor graduated at Szent István University and is holding MSc in agronomy with specialization in plant protection. He started his carrier in plant protection administration in the Central Service for Plant Protection and Soil Conservation.

Before joining HUCPA in his position of Chief Plant Health Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture Gábor was responsible for Hungarian NAP and was supervising the plant health, plant protection and soil conservation system in Hungary for almost 6 years until end of 2016.

Irene McGrath is the Managing Director and senior regulatory consultant with Kerona Scientific Ltd., Irelands largest regulatory consultancy. Following a degree in analytical science and Ph.D. in chemistry, Irene started work on analytical method validation before moving into regulatory affairs over 26 years ago. She now leads a multidisciplinary and multilingual team of scientists managing Kerona’s client projects for the EU and Middle Eastern regions. Since Ireland is the only EU Member State with a land border with the UK, Brexit is a very hot topic for the country, and Kerona develops Brexit strategies for its biocide, chemical and plant protection clients based both in the UK and the EU.

Maria Stroiu gained her Bachelor degree in agronomy, specialization in plant protection and Master degree in integrated plant protection from the State Agrarian University of the Republic of Moldova.

After graduation of University, she joined the State Centre for Certification and Approbation of Phyto-sanitary Means and Fertilizers, as a specialist coordinator, and since 2010 she has been Head of General Department.

Her knowledge of European and CIS countries registration procedures of PPP and fertilizers permits her to better explain to applicants the Moldavian registration process and requirements. She is involved in checking of completeness and data quality as well as evaluating of PPPs dossiers submitted for registration.

Since 2014, she has been dealing with transposing of EU regulations on plant protection products, fertilizers and chemical substances to Moldovan legislation, joint wok with Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment.

Agata Jakubowska holds a MSc degree in biotechnology from the University of Adam Mickiewicz in Poznan, Poland and a PhD degree in molecular virology from Wageningen Agricultural University, the Netherlands. Agata, originally Polish, has 15 years of research in biocontrol, in the Institute of Plant Protection in Poznan, Wageningen Agricultural University, the Netherlands, and University of Valencia, Spain. Her scientific experience includes use of baculoviruses, Bacillus spp and nematodes for biological control of pests and diseases. Since 2014 she is working as a regulatory expert, specialized in biopesticides. In 2018 she joined APIS Applied Insect Science, where she is responsible for the registration projects of biological active ingredients and products across Europe.

Beata Cebere earned her MSc degree in Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Latvia and a MSc in Environmental Sciences and Policy from the Central European University in Budapest (Hungary). Originally from Latvia, Beata started her career in Belgium in 2011 as European Environmental Health and Safety specialist for Chemadvisor, working with chemical regulations and hazard communication for Eastern European countries and Russia. In 2017 she joined Agrinos AS. Agrinos is producing biostimulants in USA and Mexico and sells their products in more than a dozen countries. Beata is responsible for the registration of Agrinos’ biostimulant products in European and CIS countries. She is also actively involved in the European Biostimulant Industry Council, the development of the new EU Fertilizer regulation and with that connected standardization process.

Since November 2010, Gábor has been the Head of Authorization – he leads the department for PPPs and Yield Enhancers, and acts as Deputy Director of the Institute. He currently organizes the activities of three departments: Authorization, Evaluation and Plant Protection.

Previous to his current role, he graduated as Biological Engineer from the Budapest Technical University. He gained his University doctor title at the Agricultural University of Gödöllő, in the topic of Growth regulators in cereal production.

In 2004, he became member of EU Minor use working group.
Since the first proposals he actively took part in the discussions about the new authorization regulation (1107/2009 EC)
Since 2006 he has been dealing with authorization matters and has been responsible for re-registration of PPPs and registration of not PPPs (other products).
He represented the Hungarian Authority in the Post Approval Issues WG, and on many conferences.

Dr. Van Duijn (1953) has a master degree in plant pathology from Wageningen Agricultural University and a PhD in molecular virology from Utrecht University. He has a long career in public service, mainly with the ministry of Agriculture. He worked in several fields as policy advisor and head of department, a.o. In the field of Higher Education and Food Quality and as dept. director of Finance of the ministry. For 8 years he held several management positions in the Inspection Service for food and meat control (NVWA). Since 2013 he is executive director of the Dutch Competent authority for plant protection products and biocides and secretary to the Board.

Dr. Klaus Berend joined the European Commission in 1994 and is currently Head of Unit in the European Commission’s Directorate-General Health and Food Safety, responsible for the implementation of the Pesticides and Biocides legislation.
Before, he was Head of Unit in the European Commission’s Directorate-General Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship & SMEs, in charge of the implementation of the EU Regulation concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).
Previously, he was Head of Unit in DG Enterprise & Industry, responsible for EU legislation on the Classification, Labelling and Packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP), Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), detergents, fertilisers, drug precursors, explosives and pyrotechnic articles. The Unit also dealt with the sustainability and competitiveness of the chemicals industry in the European Union.
Earlier, he was Deputy Head of Unit in the Commission’s Directorate General for Environment, Unit Biotechnology & Pesticides, where he co-ordinated the work concerning biocides, plant protection products and the Community’s participation in the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC).
He studied chemistry at the universities of Heidelberg, Freiburg, and Stanford, and obtained a PhD in polymer chemistry from the University of Freiburg (Germany).

Mr. Amedeo Kola, BSc, is a Plant Protection Specialist involved in plant protection product evaluation and registration at the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration of Albania (MARDA). He is responsible for the registration and renewal of PPPs as well as regularly updating the list of products used in biological agriculture. His professional responsibilities includes active involvement in the preparation of plant protection product legislative acts.

He is also active as external lecturer at the Department of Plant Protection of the Agricultural University of TIRANA.

Jeroen Meeussen is a plant pathologist by training. On 1st September 2015 he started work as coordinator for the new EU Minor Uses Coordination Facility.  From October 2010 till July 2015 Jeroen Meeussen has been working in Brussels for the European Commission (DG SANTE) on pesticide issues, including ‘minor uses’ and biopesticides. Before that he worked as the EU coordinator for plant protection products for the Dutch Board for the Authorisation of Plant Protection Products and Biocides (Ctgb). Since 2005 Jeroen chairs the Expert Group on Biopesticides (EGBP) as part of the Pesticide Programme of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Dr. Martin Streloke holds a PhD in Zoology/Entomology from the University of Hannover. Between 1992 and 2002, he was responsible for regulatory risk assessment of aquatic organisms at national and EU levels at BBA Braunschweig. Between 2002 and 2015, he was Head of Department of Environment at BVL, his duties including risk management of plant protection products in the frame of the authorization procedure. Since 2015, Dr Martin Streloke is the head of the Department of Plant Protection Products at the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) in Germany. He completed his PhD in zoology and entomology at Hanover University. Dr Streloke has 25 years of professional experience in the field of risk assessment and risk management in the context of authorisation procedures for plant protection products in Germany.