The European Union has said that it is planning to impose a ban on the use of pesticides, known as neonicotinoids for a period of two years on evidence that it might be harming black-and-yellow striped bees in the region.

The evidence was provided from both sides of the debate on the use of neonicotinoids. In a new vote, 15 out of the total 27 countries in the EU voted for a two-year moratorium on using the pesticides, which might be threatening the existence of honey bees that pollinate the plants. The majority of the country voted in favour of imposing the ban but the number if not enough to pass the decision and the matter has been given to the European Commission in Brussels.

Environmentalists have welcomes the victory on the matter. On the other hand, Producers, farm lobbies and some scientists have warned that the region will have to return to crop spraying, lower yields and higher costs and this would significantly affect the agricultural production in Europe. The European Commission noted a report by the European Food Safety Authority that showed that the three neonicotinoids posed a number of risks posed to bees.