Draft Commission Regulation amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for 2,4-DB, iodosulfuron-methyl, mesotrione and pyraflufen-ethyl in or on certain products

Update

The EU proposes to reduce the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for 2,4-DB on animal products to the limit of determination (LOD, the lowest level that can be detected using the most modern and reliable analytical methods).

Impacted Products

muscle, fat, liver, kidney and edible offals (bovine, sheep, goat, equine and other farmed terrestrial mammals), milk (cattle, sheep, goat, horse)

What is changing?

The EU proposes to reduce the MRLs for 2,4-DB as summarised in Table 1.

Why?

During a review of the MRLs for 2,4-DB, EFSA (2023) identified gaps in the data that prevented them from confirming the safety of these MRLs for animal products. Therefore the MRLs for 2,4-DB on those products have been reduced to the LOD.

Timeline

Expected date of adoption: March 2024.

The new MRLs will apply from approximately September 2024 – the precise date will be known once the Regulation is published.

Recommended Actions

Competent authorities of countries that are members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) can submit comments on the EU’s proposal by emailing the EU SPS Enquiry Point until 12 November 2023.

Exporters of affected products should review their current use of 2,4-DB and look for possible alternative solutions in anticipation of these MRL changes.

Background

MRLs are set in accordance with the rules set out in Regulation 396/2005. For information on current MRLs for other substances, please consult the EU Pesticide Residues database.

Resources

Sources

---