Foodlaw-Reading Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
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Food Law News - EU - 2018

Council Meeting Minutes, 18 September 2018

PESTICIDES – Council Discussions: Amendments of pesticides - maximum residue levels

The following is an extract from minutes of the General Affairs Council meeting on the 18 September 2018.

The Council decided not to oppose the adoption of three Commission regulations amending regulation 396/2005 and in particular:

• Annexes II, III and IV as regards maximum residue levels for abamectin, acibenzolar-S-methyl, clopyralid, emamectin, fenhexamid, fenpyrazamine, fluazifop-P, isofetamid, Pasteuria nishizawae Pn1, talc E533B and tebuconazole in or on certain products (11436/18 + ADD 1 and ADD 2),
• Annexes III and V as regards maximum residue levels for diphenylamine and oxadixyl in or on certain products (11453/18 + ADD 1 and ADD 2),
• Annexes II and III as regards maximum residue levels for penoxsulam, triflumizole and triflumuron in or on certain products (11434/18 + ADD 1 and ADD 2).

Regulation 396/2005 establishes the maximum quantities of pesticide residues permitted in products of animal or vegetable origin intended for human or animal consumption. These maximum residue levels (MRLs) include, on the one hand, MRLs which are specific to particular foodstuffs intended for human or animal consumption and, on the other, a general limit which applies where no specific MRL has been set. MRL applications are communicated to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) which issues a scientific opinion on each intended new MRL. Based on EFSA's opinion, the Commission proposes a regulation such as those listed above to establish a new MRL or to amend or remove an existing MRL and modifying the annexes to regulation 396/2005 accordingly.