G/TBT/N/EU/696  
20 January 2020  
(20-0532) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
European Commission  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point  
Fax: +(32) 2 299 80 43  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -databases/tbt/en/   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  
Co-formulants (non-active substance used in plant protection products or adjuvants)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Draft 
Commission Regulation amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) 1107/2009 of the 
European Parliament and of the Cou ncil listing co -formulants which are not accepted for 
inclusion in plant protection products (5 page(s), in English; 8 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Co-formulants are used together with active substances in plant 
protection products and adjuvants and are thus spread in the environment in a 
comparable manner. Co -formulants are unacceptable in plant protection products and 
adjuvants if it is established that (a) their residues, consequent on application consistent 
with good plant protection  practice, and having regard to realistic conditions of use, have 
a harmful effect on human or animal health or on groundwater or an unacceptable effect 
on the environment, or (b) if their use, consequent on application consistent with good 
plant protectio n practice, and having regard to realistic conditions of use, have a harmful 
effect on human or animal health or have an unacceptable effect on plants, plant products 
or the environment. These unacceptable co -formulants should be listed in the Annex III 
to Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.  
The draft Regulation will establish the first list of unacceptable co -formulants, based 
mainly on proposals from Member States of the EU who have identified the substances 
concerned earlier as unacceptable co -formulants in pl ant protection products or 
adjuvants.  
Member States of the EU must amend or withdraw existing plant protection products or 
adjuvants containing the substances listed at the latest by 2 years from the date of entry 
into force. Any grace period granted by M ember States in accordance with Article 46 of 
Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 or national provisions for authorisation of adjuvants shall 
be as short as possible and shall expire for sale and distribution at the latest 3 months 
and for disposal, storage and u se an additional 9 months after the date of withdrawal or 
amendment of the authorisation.  G/TBT/N/EU/696  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of human health or safety; Protection of animal or plant life or 
health; Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents:   
• Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 
21 October 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the 
market and repealing Council Directives 79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC:  
http://eur -lex.europa.eu/legal -
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32 009R1107&qid=1437730988988&from=EN  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  3rd quarter 2020  
Proposed date of entry into force:  20 days following publication in the Official Journal 
of the EU  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
European Commission  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point  
Fax: + (32) 2 299 80 43  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
The text is available on the EU -TBT Website:  
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -databases/tbt/en/  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/TBT/EEC/20_ 0515_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/TBT/EEC/20_0515_01_e.pdf