Maximum residue levels for cypermethrins

Draft Commission Regulation 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 cypermethrins in or on certain products

Annex II

Update

The European Commission has informed the World Trade Organization Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (WTO SPS) Committee that it intends to amend the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for cypermethrins (G/SPS/N/EU/702). This includes reducing the MRLs to the limit of determination (LOD) on several products, and to 0.005 mg/kg (below the standard LOD of 0.01) on oranges, pears, melons, and potatoes. (The LOD is the lowest level that can be detected using the most modern and reliable analytical methods.) These changes could have an impact on suppliers of a wide range of products, in particular fruits (apples, quinces, carambolas, litchis, mangoes, papayas), tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, courgettes, leeks, lettuces, herbs, teas, and rice.

Impacted Products

grapefruits, oranges, lemons, limes, mandarins, apples, quinces, pears, medlars, loquats/ Japanese medlars, apricots, peaches, cherries, plums, table grapes, wine grapes, blackberries, dewberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, currants, gooseberries, rose hips, mulberries, azaroles, elderberries, dates, figs, carambolas, kaki/ Japanese persimmons, jambuls/ jambolans, kiwi fruits, passionfruits, prickly pears, star apples/ cainitos, American persimmons, avocados, bananas, granate apples/ pomegranates, cherimoyas, guavas, pineapples, soursops, table olives, kumquats, litchis, mangoes, papayas, potatoes, cassava roots/ manioc, yams, arrowroots, sweet potatoes, beetroots, carrots, celeriac, parsnips, radishes, salsifies, swedes, turnips, horseradishes, Jerusalem artichokes, parsley roots, garlic, shallots, onions, spring onions, tomatoes, sweet peppers/ bell peppers, aubergines/ eggplants, cucumbers, courgettes, gherkins, watermelons, pumpkins, melons, broccoli, head cabbages, Chinese cabbages/ pe-tsai, kales, cauliflowers, Brussels sprouts, lamb's lettuces, lettuces, escaroles, Roman rocket/ rucola, red mustards, cresses, landcresses, baby leaf crops, spinaches, purslanes, chards, grape leaves, witloofs, chervil, chives, parsley, sage, basil and edible flowers, celery leaves, rosemary, thyme, laurel/ bay leaves, tarragon, beans (with pods), peas (with pods), beans (without pods), peas (without pods), lentils, asparagus, cardoons, celeries, Florence fennels, rhubarbs, bamboo shoots, palm hearts, globe artichokes, leeks, cultivated fungi, mosses and lichens, wild fungi, linseeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, rapeseeds/ canola seeds, soyabeans, pumpkin seeds, castor beans, cotton seeds, safflower seeds, olives for oil production, oil palm kernels, oil palm fruits, kapok, barley, oats, rice, rye, wheat, sorghum, chamomile, hibiscus, rose, jasmine, lime/ linden, strawberry, rooibos, maté, valerian, ginseng, seed spices, bark spices, bud spices, flower pistil spices, aril spices, allspice/ pimento, Sichuan pepper, caraway, juniper berry, peppercorn, vanilla, tamarind, sugar beet roots, chicory roots, muscle from swine and cattle, fat from swine, liver, kidney and edible offals from swine, cattle, sheep, goats and horses, fat from cattle, muscle from sheep, goats, horses, muscle from poultry, comodities from other farmed terrestrial mammals, milk (cattle), bird eggs, honey

What is changing?

The EU proposes to amend the MRLs for cypermethrins on certain products as summarised in Table 1. For oranges, pears, melons, and potatoes this includes reducing the MRLs to 0.005 mg/kg (below the standard LOD of 0.01).

The group of cypermethrins consists of cypermethrin and its isomers alpha-cypermethrin, beta-cypermethrin, and zeta-cypermethrin. The official EU definition is “cypermethrin including other mixtures of constituent isomers (sum of isomers)”.

Why?

Following a review of the existing MRLs for cypermethrins (cypermethrin including other mixtures of constituent isomers (sum of isomers), EFSA (2023) recommended maintaining or increasing these MRLs according to available good agricultural practices (GAP), or based on Codex MRLs where they are considered safe.

For products where the safety of MRLs could not be ensured or data were missing, EFSA suggested reducing the MRLs to the LOD.

Timeline

Expected date of publication: September 2024.

The new MRLs are expected to apply from early 2025.

Recommended Actions

The MRLs for cypermethrins are amended for a large number of products. All suppliers should review their existing agricultural practices. Where the MRLs are being reduced to the LOD, suppliers should look for possible alternative solutions.

Pesticide residue monitoring will need to take into account the new lower LODs on oranges, pears, melons, and potatoes. Testing for levels below 0.01 mg/kg will affect how laboratories carry out pesticide residue analysis.

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

Tables & Figures

Source: based on PLAN/2023/1863 v2