Many farms are developing more environmentally-friendly practices in order to meet the phytosanitary requirements of both private actors and public authorities. This article analyses the essential contribution of EU subsidies to reducing pesticide use. We use the highly- accurate FADN database from 2007 to 2015y to measure pesticide use and relate it to public subsidies received by farmers within the implementation of the rural development policy for the period 2007 to 2013. The influence of EU subsidies on pesticide use is measured through an econometric model using panel data. In addition to the individual, structural and financial factors which usually explain the implementation of environmentally-friendly practices, our study emphasizes the role of EU subsidies. The results show that overall payments as well as payments from the 1st pillar increase pesticide use while payments from the 2nd pillar lead to a decreasing intensity of pesticide expenditure. Other key individual, structural and financial factors at farm level also have contrasting effects on pesticide use. The efficiency of public policies towards the issue of environmentally-friendly practices is therefore questioned.