. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/EEC/139
24 October 2001
(01-5205)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission, Directorate-General for Health and
Consumer protection
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Cereals, certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables and
animal feeding stuffs  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  European Community (EC) and third countries exporting to the EC
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document: Draft Commission Directive
amending the Annexes to Council Directives  86/362/EEC, 86/363/ EEC and 90/642/EEC on
the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on cereals, foodstuffs of animal
origin and certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables
(SANCO/2503/01 Rev. 2 (11 pages)
5. Description of content:  This draft Directive modifies EU harmonised maximum residue
limits (MRLs) for  amitraz:  all MRLs increased;  lambda-cyhalothrin:  citrus fruits, wild
berries and spinach MRLs increased, for tomato es MRL decreased due to an intake concern;
cypermethrin on asparagus increased;  fenbutatin oxide on peppers, metalaxyl on spring
onions, chlorothalonil on celeriac, ethephon on pineapples;  acephate on peaches:  all MRLs
increased.  The higher values were requested  by stakeholders upon changed uses of the
pesticides.  Higher MRLs were proposed when this was justified by residue trials andtoxicological data showing no unacceptable risk to the consumer.  Any additonal residue and
toxicology data from WTO Members concerning the MRLs to be changed, will be judged by
experts in the EU.
6. Objective and rationale: [  X  ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,
[    ] protect territory from other damage from pests           
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [     ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  CODEX maximum residue limits for some
commodities exist for amitraz, cypermethrin, acephate, ethephon, metalaxyl and
chlorothalonil.  Those relevant were taken into account. For Amitraz some CODEX values
could not be taken into account as in the risk  assessment it showed that these would cause an
unacceptable intake problem for children.  The MRL for ethephon on pineapples was changed
specifically because the CODEX MRL had changed in July 2001G/SPS/N/EEC/139
Page 2
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: European
Commission Document SANCO/2503/ 01 Rev. 2 (available in all official languages of the
EC)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  13 December 2001
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  30 April 2002, except for the MRLs for acephate
peaches and ethephon pineapples:  1 January 2002
11. Final date for comments:  5 December 2001
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [     ] National notification
authority, [     ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:           
12. Texts available from: [     ] National notification authority, [  X ] EC  enquiry point or
address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: