Food and Health E-ssentials

EU Commission Amends MRLs for Certain Pesticides

The Commission of the European Union (EU) has recently revised the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for several pesticides used in or on food and feed of plant or animal origin.

Published in mid-September in the Official Journal of the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2019/1559 updates Annexes II and III of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 that defines limits for certain pesticides. The specific MRL changes address the uses of the following pesticides in a wide variety of food types:

• Cyflufenamid
• Fenbuconazole
• Fluquinconazole
• Tembotrione

Specific decreases and increases in MRLs applicable to individual food types were based on recommendations from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). According to the Regulation, EU trading partners were also consulted on the new MRLs through the World Trade Organization (WTO), and their comments were considered in making the changes.

The revised MRLs addressed in 2019/1559 will apply from 7 April 2020.

The text of the Commission’s latest Regulation on pesticide MRLs as published in the Official Journal is available here.