How to eliminate obstacles of IWM implementation into cropping systems in South East Europe

In this presentation, the outcomes of a specific EWRS regional meeting organized by the Working Group »Optimization of Herbicide Use in an IWM context« are documented. Data were obtained by a questionnaire survey and a face-to-face group discussion. The idiosyncratic structure and systemic nature of IWM systems, as compared with other IPM systems, draws on many strategies with a combination and integration of single weed management tactics at temporal and spatial scale. The questionnaire included queries with multiple-choice predefined answers and left space for open answers. All those were given a significance score value (1 to 5). During the meeting, the face-to-face group discussion was aimed on the fine elaboration, sorting and ranking of the major weed problems and obstacles for IWM systems implementation in South East European countries. Regional South East countries address the IWM by different approaches based on their status towards EU. Countries outside the EU, have set up voluntary public and private entities to promote IWM whereas Member States of the EU have implemented the Sustainable Use Directive (Dir. 2009/128/EC) aiming to regulate use of pesticides (herbicides, in particular), and are required to set up National Plans. Regional cropping systems frequently face similar (more or less) major weed problems and IWM challenges, research needs and priorities and extension services upgrades to tackle IWM implementation. Identifying the current obstacles and propose measures to eliminate them would boost national efforts as they could benefit from a common IWM framework and transnationally approaches