This year, Ecotoxicology Master’s students Dana Hiett and Yugeshini Rajendran had the opportunity to join the SETAC European Conference 2026 as student volunteers in Maastricht. Here, we share some of our experiences, the connections we made and things we learned during this eventful week.

The EU sets the global standard for pesticide regulation. However, many believe that the current approval process is in need of reform. A new legislative package aims to simplify the process. From the researchers’ perspective, the package poses significant risks to the environment and human health. In an article in the journal Science, an international research team from 27 European research institutions, led by the University of Freiburg, warns that key protective mechanisms could be weakened. At the same time, the authors highlight ways to make authorization procedures more efficient without endangering environmental and health protection. Carsten Brühl, from the RPTU, is one of the co-authors.