Plant protection products are preparations used to:
- protect plants or plant products against harmful organisms (insecticides and fungicides);
- destroy harmful plants or parts of plants or prevent undesired growth of plants (herbicides);
- influence the life processes of plants, other than as a nutrient (growth regulators);
- preserve plant products, in so far as such substances or products are not subject to special provisions on food preservatives.
A plant protection product may only be placed on the market or used if authorised as a plant protection product. Provisions regarding authorisation are laid down in the Act on Plant Protection Products (1259/2006), into which the requirements set by the Council Directive concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market (91/414/EEC), known as the Plant Protection Products Directive, have been incorporated.
In Finland the agency in response of making decisions about the authorisation and terms of use of preparations intended as plant protection products is Tukes. The active substances used in plant protection products are assessed under a joint EU procedure and those approved for use are included in Annex I to the Plant Protection Products Directive referred to as the 'positive list'.
Tukes maintains a register of plant protection products authorised in Finland. No other plant protection products than those included in the register may be sold or used.