Maximum residue levels for difluoroacetic acid
Published by AGRINFO on ; Revised
EU proposes to increase MRLs for difluoroacetic acid on certain products
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 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene, difluoroacetic acid (DFA), fluopyram and flupyradifurone in or on certain products
Update
The European Commission has informed the World Trade Organization Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (WTO SPS) Committee that it intends to increase the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for difluoroacetic acid on certain products (G/SPS/N/EU/701).
Impacted Products
lemons, limes, mandarins, macadamias, apricots, peaches, plums, cherries, dewberries, avocados, mangoes, papayas, Chinese cabbages/ pe-tsai, kales, asparagus, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, maize/ corn, oats, rye, sugar beet roots, chicory roots, fat from pigs, liver from pigs, fat from sheep and goats, fat from poultry
What is changing?
Difluoroacetic acid is not itself a pesticide. It is produced in crops following application of the insecticide flupyradifurone. The EU proposes to increase the MRLs for difluoroacetic acid as summarised in Table 1.
Why?
Following a request to review the MRLs for difluoroacetic acid and to set import tolerances, EFSA (2023) did not identify a consumer health risk. The EU therefore proposes to adopt higher MRLs to avoid trade barriers when importing these crops.
Timeline
Expected date of publication: August 2024.
The new MRLs are expected to apply from early 2025.
Recommended Actions
Feedback on this proposal closed on 10 February 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
EFSA (2023) Modification of the existing maximum residue levels and setting import tolerances for flupyradifurone and difluoroacetic acid (DFA) in various crops. EFSA Journal, 21(12): 8423.
Sources
Draft Commission Regulation as regards maximum residue levels for 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene, difluoroacetic acid (DFA), fluopyram and flupyradifurone in or on certain products
Tables & Figures
Source: based on PLAN/2023/2305