NEWS

EU and GB MRL changes in 2022

Changes to EU and GB pesticide maximum residue levels

Following the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union (EU), COLEACP’s monitoring of pesticide regulations now covers MRL changes in both the EU and Great Britan (GB), enabling us to keep COLEACP members and partner-beneficiaries up-to-date.

Note that EU MRLs still apply in Northern Ireland (GB covers only England, Scotland and Wales).

During the period April-June 2022, notifications of MRL changes were issued for the following:

– flutianil (EU)

– sulfoxaflor (GB)

– cyantraniliprole (GB)

– and cinmethylin (GB)

The EU and GB have also recently notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of additional proposed changes involving a further 20 substances including 12 that are key in ACP horticulture (chlorothalonil, cyfluthrin, ethoprophos, fenamidone, propiconazole, pymetrozine, benalaxyl, epoxiconazole, fenamiphos, clothianidin, thiamethoxam and abamectin). Note that comments and concerns can be submitted to the WTO via the national contact points.

How will ACP producers/exporters be affected?

Changes to EU/GB Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) also apply to products that are exported to the EU/GB. Growers producing for export may need to adapt their practices to meet the new MRL or, if this is not possible, stop using these products and look for an alternative method of pest management.

What should ACP producers/exporters do now?

For each use of the plant protection products (PPPs) involved, the Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in place will need to be checked to ensure compliance with the new MRLs. This is essential to avoid interception and destruction of exported produce at the EU/GB borders.

If you use these PPPs, it is important to liaise with your producer /exporter associations and national authorities to check whether the GAPs you currently apply are still appropriate, and enable you to meet the new MRLs. In most cases, where the MRL is lowered, adaptations to the GAP will be needed (dose rate, number of applications, application method or pre-harvest interval).

If you have any major concerns about these changes, and fear that you will be left without an effective and locally available alternative, please contact COLEACP at: network@coleacp.org.

 

In this Flash Info, ‘key active substances’ refers to those used/registered in one or more ACP country on horticultural crops that are frequently exported regionally or internationally. While COLEACP makes every effort to provide comprehensive information about relevant regulatory changes, it is possible that some PPPs or crops relevant to you are not included in our list of key substances/crops. We recommend therefore that you check the final section of this FlashInfo, which details all the changes in 2022, to make sure that you are aware of any other changes that could affect you.

Changes to EU MRLs

 Flutianil

The European Commission (EC) recently issued a notification of changes to flutianil MRLs within the EU. Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/566 was applied on 28 April 2022 and includes changes to MRLs on a number of fruit and vegetable crops(Table 1).

Table 1. EU MRL changes for flutianil on fruit and vegetables.

Crop Previous EU MRL
[mg/kg]
New EU MRL
[mg/kg]
Apples 0.01 (*) 0.15
Cherries 0.01 (*) 0.4
Strawberries 0.01 (*) 0.3
Cucumber 0.01 (*) 0.03
Courgettes 0.01 (*) 0.03

Changes to GB MRLs

In may 2022, the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued notifications of changes to sulfoxaflor, cyantraniliprole and cinmethylin MRLs within Great Britan. Sulfoxaflor and cyantraniliprole are key substances for ACP horticulture (Table 2).

Table 2. Great Britain (GB) maximum residue level (MRL) changes in 2022 indicating the key substances and crops most affected

Active substance Crop Previous GB MRL
[mg/kg]
New GB MRL
[mg/kg]
Date into force Regulation
sulfoxaflor Blackberries 0.01 (*) 0,3 23/05/2022 GB MRL 2022/004
sulfoxaflor Dewberries 0.01 (*) 0,3 23/05/2022 GB MRL 2022/004
sulfoxaflor Raspberries 0.01 (*) 0,3 23/05/2022 GB MRL 2022/004
cyantraniliprole Leeks 0.01 (*) 0,6 01/06/2022 GB MRL 2022/006
cyantraniliprole Blackberries 0.01 (*) 1,5 10/06/2022 GB MRL 2022/007
cyantraniliprole Raspberries 0.01 (*) 1,5 10/06/2022 GB MRL 2022/007
cyantraniliprole Chinese cabbages/petsai 0.01 (*) 20 21/06/2022 GB MRL 2022/009

Further Proposed MRL changes

A further 20 proposed (draft) MRL changes have recently been notified to the WTO (Table 3 ), 12 of which are key for ACP horticulture (chlorothalonil, cyfluthrin, ethoprophos, fenamidone, propiconazole, pymetrozine, benalaxyl, epoxiconazole, fenamiphos, clothianidin, thiamethoxam and abamectin).

Table 3. World Trade Organization (WTO) notifications of new draft regulations amending MRLs of substances, potentially affecting ACP horticulture products.

Active substance Notification originated from Key substances* Publication Comment deadline Link
chlorothalonil GB X 08/04/2022 07/06/2022 link
1-methyl-3-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide EU 22/06/2022 21/08/2022 link
cycloxydim EU 22/06/2022 21/08/2022 link
cyflumetofen EU 22/06/2022 21/08/2022 link
cyfluthrin EU X 22/06/2022 21/08/2022 link
metobromuron EU 22/06/2022 21/08/2022 link
penthiopyrad EU 22/06/2022 21/08/2022 link
ethoprophos GB X 27/06/2022 26/08/2022 link
fenamidone GB X 27/06/2022 26/08/2022 link
methiocarb GB 27/06/2022 26/08/2022 link
propiconazole GB X 27/06/2022 26/08/2022 link
pymetrozine GB X 27/06/2022 26/08/2022 link
benalaxyl EU X 04/07/2022 02/09/2022 link
bromoxynil EU 04/07/2022 02/09/2022 link
chlorsulfuron EU 04/07/2022 02/09/2022 link
epoxiconazole EU X 04/07/2022 02/09/2022 link
fenamiphos EU X 04/07/2022 02/09/2022 link
clothianidin EU X 06/07/2022 04/09/2022 link
thiamethoxam EU X 06/07/2022 04/09/2022 link
abamectin EU X 12/07/22 10/09/2022 link

*Key active substances are those used/registered in one or more ACP country on horticultural crops that are frequently exported regionally or internationally.

All draft regulations on MRL changes are notified to the World Trade Organization (WTO) under the WTO Sanitary and Phytosanitary Information Management System for a commenting period of 60 days. This obligation applies to all member countries of the WTO, as the lowering of MRLs might lead to trade barriers. This is an opportunity to be informed in advance of proposed changes, and to take any necessary action before the new regulation comes into force. It is also an opportunity to submit concerns about potential difficulties (trade barriers) that these changes could create. WTO member countries can submit comments via their WTO National Contact Point.

All MRL changes that have so far entered into force in 2022

Table 4 shows all new MRLs that have entered into force in 2022. If any PPP that you use on crops for export to the EU or GB is listed here, we recommend that you check the regulation itself using the link provided. If you require additional information, or face particular problems as a result of these changes, please contact COLEACP at: network@coleacp.org.

Table 4. European Union (EU) and Great Britain (GB) maximum residue level (MRL) changes introduced to date and entering into force in 2022.

Active substance Key substances* Regulation Publication Date into force Link
Flutriafol X GB MRL 2022/001 11/02/2021 28/01/2022 link
dimethoate X GB MRL 2021/003 05/07/2021 05/01/2022 link
omethoate GB MRL 2021/003 05/07/2021 05/01/2022 link
ametoctradin X Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1110 07/07/2021 27/01/2022 link
bixafen Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1110 07/07/2021 27/01/2022 link
fenazaquin Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1110 07/07/2021 27/01/2022 link
spinetoram X Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1110 07/07/2021 27/01/2022 link
tefluthrin Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1110 07/07/2021 27/01/2022 link
thiencarbazone-methyl Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1110 07/07/2021 27/01/2022 link
6-benzyladenine Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1841 21/10/2021 10/05/2022 link
aminopyralid Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1841 21/10/2021 10/05/2022 link
amisulbrom Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1864 25/10/2021 14/05/2022 link
flubendiamide X Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1864 25/10/2021 14/05/2022 link
meptyldinocap Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1864 25/10/2021 14/05/2022 link
metaflumizone X Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1864 25/10/2021 14/05/2022 link
propineb X Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1864 25/10/2021 14/05/2022 link
imidacloprid X Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1881 27/10/2021 16/05/2022 link
acequinocyl Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/2202 14/12/2021 03/01/2022 link
Bacillus subtilis strain IAB/BS03  X Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/2202 14/12/2021 03/01/2022 link
emamectin  X Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/2202 14/12/2021 03/01/2022 link
flutolanil Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/2202 14/12/2021 03/01/2022 link
imazamox Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/2202 14/12/2021 03/01/2022 link
dazomet Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/78 20/01/2022 09/08/2022 link
hexythiazox X Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/78 20/01/2022 09/08/2022 link
metam Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/78 20/01/2022 09/08/2022 link
methylisothiocyanate Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/78 20/01/2022 09/08/2022 link
flonicamid Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/85 21/01/2022 10/02/2022 link
acrinathrin X Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/93 25/01/2022 14/02/2022 link
fluvalinate Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/93 25/01/2022 14/02/2022 link
folpet X Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/93 25/01/2022 14/02/2022 link
fosetyl-aluminium X Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/93 25/01/2022 14/02/2022 link
isofetamid Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/93 25/01/2022 14/02/2022 link
Pepino Mosaic Virus, EU strain, mild isolate Abp1 Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/93 25/01/2022 14/02/2022 link
Pepino Mosaic Virus, CH2 strain, mild isolate Abp2 Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/93 25/01/2022 14/02/2022 link
spinetoram X Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/93 25/01/2022 14/02/2022 link
spirotetramat X Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/93 25/01/2022 14/02/2022 link
fluxapyroxad GB MRL 2022/002 01/03/2022 22/03/2022 link
oxathiapiprolin GB MRL 2022/003 01/03/2022 22/03/2022 link
acetic acid Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/476 25/03/2022 14/04/2022 link
azoxystrobin X Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/476 25/03/2022 14/04/2022 link
benzovindiflupyr Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/476 25/03/2022 14/04/2022 link
cyantraniliprole Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/476 25/03/2022 14/04/2022 link
cyflufenamid Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/476 25/03/2022 14/04/2022 link
emamectin Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/476 25/03/2022 14/04/2022 link
flutolanil Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/476 25/03/2022 14/04/2022 link
lime sulphur Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/476 25/03/2022 14/04/2022 link
maltodextrin X Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/476 25/03/2022 14/04/2022 link
proquinazid Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/476 25/03/2022 14/04/2022 link
flutianil Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/566 08/04/2022 28/04/2022 link
sulfoxaflor X GB MRL 2022/004 01/05/2022 23/05/2022 link
cyantraniliprole X GB MRL 2022/006 01/05/2022 01/06/2022 link

*Key active substances are those used/registered in one or more ACP country on horticultural crops that are frequently exported regionally or internationally.