Pesticide use and risk reduction in European farming systems with IPM: An introduction to the special issue

•The EU Directive on Sustainable Use of Pesticides (2009/128/EC) represents a path toward a low pesticide-input farming.•The transition to sustainable agriculture needs to be accompanied by a change in nature of innovations in crop protection.•Several examples of research and innovations (R&I) are presented.•The role of knowledge and technological improvements, in reducing pesticide use, are discussed.