The ‘IPM Decisions’ project proposed here will accelerate impact from farm Decision Support Systems (DSS) for IPM, as advocated in the Sustainable Use Directive. The impact of DSS in crop protection has been constrained by regional and sectoral fragmentation of actors, inadequate testing of DSS and quantification of their benefits, DSS addressing single pests whilst farmer decisions need to account for multiple pests, and DSS which are insufficiently risk-averse. We will address these constraints and enable innovation by creating a ‘one stop shop’ delivering DSS, data, tools and resources through a pan-European online Platform and an ‘IPM Decisions Network’. The latter forming a community of users and stakeholders. Users will be farmers and advisers, and applied research or industry organisations that deliver or develop DSS. Each type of user will access the Platform via a tailored Dashboard, specific to their requirements. The project consortium brings together multi-actor participants from research, crop protection industry, ICT, meteorological services, policy, farming, advisory and extension organisations. Participants in IPM Decisions are also participants in relevant European projects and networks, enabling efficient engagement and impact. The focus will be on delivering DSS for key pests of major outdoor crops. Integrating key examples of contrasting DSS on the Platform will address urgent needs and demonstrate that the Platform has the functionality required for wide impact. Longevity of the Platform and Dashboards beyond the life of the project will be aided by minimizing the resources required to maintain and update the system, and a realistic business plan. Software, scientific publications and research data will be open access. IPM Decisions addresses all the requirements of part A of SFS-06-2018-2020. The outcomes from this project will support the EU wide demonstration farm network to be established under part B of the call.

Euromix aim to develop an experimentally verified, tiered strategy for the risk assessment of mixtures of multiple chemicals derived from multiple sources across different life stages. The project takes account of the gender dimension and balances the risk of chemicals present in foods against the benefits of those foods. Important concepts for this new strategy are prioritisation criteria for chemicals based on their exposure and hazard characteristics and evaluation of the role of mode of action in grouping chemicals into cumulative assessment groups. In-silico and in-vitro tools will be developed and verified against in-vivo experiments, with focus on four selected endpoints (liver, hormones, development and immunology) to provide a full proof-of-principle. The EuroMix project will result in an innovative platform of bioassays for mixture testing and refined categorisation of chemicals in cumulative assessment groups. New hazard and exposure models will be embedded in a model toolbox, made available for stakeholders through an openly accessible web-based platform. Access to the web-based tools will be facilitated by training. Criteria will be set and guidance will be written on how to use and implement the tiered test strategy. Dissemination and harmonisation of the approach within EU, Codex Alimentarius, and WHO will be achieved by involving a.o. WHO and US-EPA in the project and by the participation of experts playing a key role in helping establish international food safety policies. It is expected that the new mechanism-based strategy, the bioassay platform, the openly accessible web-based model toolbox, and clear guidance on a tiered hazard and exposure test and risk assessment strategy will boost innovation in the public and private sector, provide a sound scientific basis for managing risks to public health from chemical mixtures, ultimately reduce the use of laboratory animals, and support the global discussion of risk assessment policies for mixtures.