Mr Borst quoted from a PDF published by ‘Opera’, a think tank in a Catholic university which claims to have been, “Created thanks to the initiative of several European scientists”. I could find no information as to its independence or concerning its backers.
The information concerning France is credited to “Dr. Anne Alix, Ministry of Agriculture, France”. 
In February, the Ministry was condemned by the ‘Conseil d’Etat’, the highest administrative court, for the illegal authorisation of “Cruiser” (thiamethoxam) in 2008 and 2009. Proceedings are pending for 2010. In 2008 a plan to study the effects of thiamethoxam on the bee population was put forward but is contested as the protocol has never been presented to or approved by the ‘Comité de Suvi’ and the interpretation of the results are considered unacceptable by the UNAF, the national association of french apiculture.
The President of the court said that this affair raised the question of the independence of the experts of ANSES and AESA who are responsible for evaluating the risks. He went on to say that the degree of confidence that the citizens could have in the normal working of public bodies was also called into question. 
This would seem to put the veracity of the information concerning France into serious doubt.
Bil Harley, France

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