Maximum residue level for zoxamide

Draft Commission Regulation (EU) amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for zoxamide in or on certain products

Annex

Update

The EU has informed the World Trade Organization Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (WTO SPS) Committee that it intends to reduce the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for zoxamide to the limit of determination (LOD) (G/SPS/N/EU/775). The LOD is the lowest level that can be detected using the most modern and reliable analytical methods. This change will apply to all products except:

• those for which MRLs are based on import tolerances
• products that are considered safe because sufficient supporting data on good agricultural practices (GAP) have been submitted and assessed.

The most significant impacts will potentially be on exports of leaf vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers.

Impacted Products

Grapefruits, oranges, lemons, limes, mandarins, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, chestnuts, coconuts, hazelnuts/ cobnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nut kernels, pistachios, walnuts, apples, pears, quinces, medlars, loquats/ Japanese medlars, apricots, cherries (sweet), peaches, plums, strawberries, blackberries, dewberries, raspberries (red and yellow), blueberries, cranberries, currants (black, red, white), gooseberries (green, red, yellow), rose hips, mulberries (black and white), azaroles/ Mediterranean medlars, elderberries, dates, figs, table olives, kumquats, carambolas, kaki/ Japanese persimmons, jambuls/ jambolans, kiwi fruits (green, red, yellow), litchis/ lychees, passionfruits/ maracujas, prickly pears/ cactus fruits, star apples/ cainitos, American persimmons/ Virginia kaki, avocados, bananas, mangoes, papayas, granate apples/ pomegranates, cherimoyas, guavas, pineapples, breadfruits, durians, soursops/ guanabanas, cassava roots/ manioc, sweet potatoes, yams, arrowroots, beetroots, carrots, celeriacs/ turnip rooted celeries, horseradishes, Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips, parsley roots/ Hamburg root parsley, radishes, salsifies, swedes/ rutabagas, turnips, garlic, onions, shallots, spring onions/ green onions and Welsh onions, tomatoes, sweet peppers/ bell peppers, aubergines/ eggplants, okra/ lady's fingers, sweet corn, broccoli, cauliflowers, Brussels sprouts, head cabbages, Chinese cabbages/ pe-tsai, kales, lamb's lettuces/ corn salads, lettuces, escaroles/ broad-leaved endives, cresses and other sprouts and shoots, land cresses, Roman rocket/ rucola, red mustards, baby leaf crops (including Brassica species), spinaches, purslanes, chards/ beet leaves, watercresses, witloofs/ Belgian endives, chervil, celery leaves, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, basil and edible flowers, laurel/ bay leaves, tarragon, beans (with pods), beans (without pods), peas (with pods), peas (without pods), lentils, asparagus, cardoons, celeries, Florence fennels, globe artichokes, leeks, rhubarbs, bamboo shoots, palm hearts, cultivated fungi, wild fungi, mosses and lichens, beans, lentils, peas, lupins/ lupini beans, linseeds, peanuts/ groundnuts, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, rapeseeds/ canola seeds, soyabeans, mustard seeds, cotton seeds, pumpkin seeds, safflower seeds, borage seeds, gold of pleasure seeds, hemp seeds, castor beans, olives for oil production, oil palm kernels, oil palm fruits, kapok, barley, buckwheat and other pseudocereals, maize/ corn, common millet/ proso millet, oat, rice, rye, sorghum, wheat, teas, coffee beans, herbal infusions from chamomile, hibiscus/ roselle, rose, jasmine, lime/ linden, strawberry, rooibos, mate/ maté, valerian, ginseng, sugar beet roots, sugar canes, chicory roots, honey and other apiculture products

What is changing?

The LOD will be lowered from 0.02 or 0.05 mg/kg to 0.01 mg/kg on all products, with the following exceptions.

• MRLs will be lowered from 30 mg/kg to the LOD (0.01 mg/kg) on lettuces and salad plants, spinaches and similar leaves, and herbs and edible flowers.
• MRLs on onions, garlic, and shallots are based on import tolerances.
• MRLs on potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, gherkins, courgettes, melons, pumpkins, and watermelons are recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), based on good agricultural practices (GAP) that are considered safe.
• MRLs on table grapes, wine grapes, spring onions/green onions and Welsh onions, aubergines/eggplants, chives, honey, and other apiculture products will remain at the existing level or the level identified by EFSA until they are reviewed.

For the products listed above, the EU proposes to amend the MRLs for zoxamide as summarised in Table 1. For hops and spices, the LOD remains at 0.05 mg/kg.

Why?

EFSA suggested reducing the MRLs to the LOD for leaf vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers.

The MRL changes on onions, garlic, and shallots follow a request for an import tolerance that was reviewed by EFSA (2023).

EFSA supported maintaining the existing MRLs on potatoes, chives, spring onions, and cucurbits, and identified higher levels of MRLs, considered safe for consumers, for tomatoes, aubergines, and honey.

Timeline

Expected date of adoption: January 2025.

Expected date of entry into force: July 2025.

The new MRLs will apply from approximately July 2025 – the precise date will be known once the Regulation is published.

Products exported before July 2025 that comply with the old MRLs will not be removed from the EU market after July 2025, even if they do not comply with the new MRLs.

Recommended Actions

Exporters of leaf vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers should review their current use of zoxamide and evaluate possible alternative solutions in anticipation of MRL changes.

Authorities in countries that are members of the WTO can provide feedback on the EU's proposal (G/SPS/N/EU/775) by emailing the EU SPS Enquiry Point until 25 August 2024.

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

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Regulation

Draft Commission Regulation as regards maximum residue levels for zoxamide in or on certain products

Annex

What is changing and why?

The EU proposes to amend the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for zoxamide as summarised in Table 1, with potentially significant impacts on exports of leaf vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers.

Additionally, for all products except hops and spices, the limit of determination (LOD) will be lowered from 0.02 or 0.05 mg/kg to 0.01 mg/kg. The LOD is the lowest level that can be detected using the most modern and reliable analytical methods.

These changes follow reviews by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

The existing MRLs are maintained on potatoes, chives, spring onions, and cucurbits. Higher MRLs, considered safe for consumers, are recommended on tomatoes, aubergines, and honey, and also on onions, garlic and shallots following a request for import tolerances.

Actions

Exporters of leaf vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers should review their current use of zoxamide and evaluate possible alternative solutions in anticipation of MRL changes.

Authorities in countries that are members of the World Trade Organization can provide feedback on the EU's proposal (G/SPS/N/EU/775) by emailing the EU SPS Enquiry Point until 25 August 2024.

Timeline

The new MRLs will apply from approximately April 2025 – the precise date will be known once the Regulation is published.

Products exported before July 2025 that comply with the old MRLs will not be removed from the EU market after July 2025, even if they do not comply with the new MRLs.

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