On the draft Commission regulation amending Annexes II, III and V to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for benomyl, carbendazim and thiophanate‐methyl in or on certain products
B-10-2024-0020
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety · Rapporteur: Christophe Clergeau, Anja Hazekamp, Martin Häusling, Michal Wiezik
- Voted on · Adopted 516–129–27 · See the decision →
- Full procedure 2024/2758
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.
Parliament opposes the draft Commission regulation that would maintain maximum residue levels (MRLs) for carbendazim and thiophanate-methyl in certain imported products, arguing it is incompatible with EU law and health protection.¶¶ It calls on the Commission to withdraw the draft and submit a new one lowering all MRLs for these substances to the limit of determination and refusing import tolerances.¶¶
Key points
- Carbendazim is classified as mutagen and toxic for reproduction category 1B and meets two PBT criteria; its approval expired in 2014.¶¶
- Thiophanate-methyl is classified as mutagen and reproductive toxicant category 2 and identified as an endocrine disruptor; its approval was not renewed in 2020.¶¶¶
- The draft regulation would maintain import tolerance MRLs for carbendazim on lemons, limes, mandarins and okra, and for thiophanate-methyl on limes and okra, above the limit of determination.¶¶¶
- Import tolerances are only allowed when the use is not authorised for reasons other than public health; here, health concerns prevent approval, so tolerances are not justified.¶
- The proposed MRLs do not protect health and are contrary to Regulations (EC) No 396/2005 and (EC) No 178/2002.¶
- Setting high MRLs creates a double standard, disadvantaging EU farmers and harming health and environment in producing countries.¶
- Parliament opposes the draft regulation and considers it incompatible with EU food and pesticide law.¶¶
- Calls on the Commission to withdraw the draft and submit a new one lowering all MRLs for carbendazim and thiophanate-methyl to the limit of determination and refusing import tolerances.¶¶
Who is affected
- EU farmers: would be placed at a competitive disadvantage if imports with higher MRLs continue.¶¶
- Third-country farmers: could continue using carbendazim and thiophanate-methyl for exports to the EU if the draft regulation were adopted.
- Consumers and agricultural workers in producing countries: their health is jeopardised by the use of these pesticides.
Figures and deadlines
Legal basis: Articles 11, 13, 168 and 191 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union¶