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 haloxyfop in or on certain products

Update

The EU has notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) SPS Committee of a proposal (G/SPS/N/EU/652) to set the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for haloxyfop at the limit of determination (LOD, the lowest level that can be detected using the most modern and reliable analytical methods). This will apply to all products except linseeds, canola/ rapeseeds and soya beans, for which import tolerances are set.

Impacted Products

carrots, parsley roots, Hamburg root parsley, onions, leeks, beans, peas, linseeds, sunflower seeds, rapeseeds/ canola seeds, sugar beet roots, liver (swine, sheep, equine, goat, cattle, poultry and other farmed terrestrial animals), kidney and edible offals (swine, cattle, sheep, goat, equine and other farmed terrestrial animals), poultry edible offals, poultry fat, milk (cattle, sheep, goat, horse)

What is changing?

The EU proposes to amend the MRLs for haloxyfop as summarised in Table 1.

Why?

The approval for haloxyfop has not been renewed because the manufacturer did not submit a new application for approval. Therefore haloxyfop is no longer authorised in the EU, and all MRLs are set to the LOD.

However, Australia requested an import tolerance for linseeds and rapeseeds/ canola seeds. As EFSA (2018) did not identify a consumer health risk, the requested import tolerance is adopted as the EU MRL.

Previously, an import tolerance on soya beans was considered safe for consumers (EFSA, 2016) and is therefore maintained.

Timeline

Expected date of adoption: 11 January 2024.

Expected date of entry into force: 2 March 2024.

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

Recommended Actions

Competent authorities of countries that are members of the WTO can submit comments on the EU proposal by emailing the EU SPS Enquiry Point until 4 September 2023.

Exporters of affected products should review their current use of haloxyfop and evaluate possible alternative solutions in anticipation of MRL changes, or applications for further import tolerances.

Background

MRLs are set in accordance with the rules set out in Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. For information on current MRLs for other substances, please consult the EU Pesticide Residues database.

Resources

Sources

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