Washington, May 7 (EFE).- The population of honeybees in the United States declined by 31 percent last winter, a situation that endangers a number of crops requiring bees for pollination, the Department of Agriculture said Tuesday. A study released by the federal agency warned that the survival rate of bee colonies is too low to ensure that pollination needs are met for U.S. crops.

Bees play a key role in human food production, pollinating more than two-thirds of the world's 100 most important crop species and providing a free service valued at tens of billions of euros. They account for about 80 percent of pollination by insects, say agriculture agencies. Without bees, many plant and animal species would disappear and farmers would be left to fertilise crops by hand. Yet bee numbers have slumped in Europe and the United States in the past 15-odd years due to a worrying phenomenon dubbed colony collapse disorder (CCD).

The European Commission received the go-ahead Monday to slap a two-year ban across the European Union on the use of pesticides blamed for a sharp decline in bee populations, an EU diplomat said. A key committee cleared the way for the European Union executive to implement a two-year moratorium on three pesticides, expected to enter into force in July, the source said. csg/ccr/ric

A key committee of EU experts was meeting on Monday to mull a two-year ban on pesticides blamed for a sharp and worrying decline in bee populations. European Union sources have told AFP that a decision to suspend the use of certain pesticides is likely following the closed-door talks between experts from the 27 member nations that kicked off at 0800 GMT.