G/SPS/N/EU/617  
 
24 February 2023  
(23-1324) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission, Health and Food Safety Directorate -General  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Cereals (HS codes: 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 
1008), foodstuffs of animal origin (HS codes: 0201, 0202, 0203,  0204, 0205, 0206, 0207, 
0208, 0209, 0210) and certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft Commission Regulation amending Annexes II and 
V to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as 
regards maximum residue levels for denatonium benzoate, diuron, etoxazole,  methomyl 
and teflubenzuron in or on certain products (Text with EEA relevance) . Language(s):  
English . Number of pages:  5 + 14  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/EEC/23_1319_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/EEC/23_1319_01_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/EEC/23_1319_02_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/EEC/23_1319_03_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/EEC/23_1319_04_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The proposed draft Regulation concerns the review of existing 
MRLs for denaton ium benzoate, diuron, etoxazole, methomyl and teflubenzuron in certain 
food commodities following the non -approval of these substances for use on edible crops in 
the European Union. MRLs for these substances in certain commodities are lowered. 
Lower  MRLs a re set after deleting old uses which are not authorised any more in the 
European Union and for which a human health concern may not be excluded.  
7. 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.   
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : Maximum Residue Limits for pesticides etoxazole, 
methomyl and teflubenzuron in some commodities. CODEX MRLs list is available 
at https://www.fao.org/fao -who-codexalimentarius/codex -
texts/dbs/pestres/pesticides/en/ . 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  G/SPS/N/EU/617  
 
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  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM  number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [X] No  
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  Etoxazole, methomyl and teflubenzuron are not a pproved in the 
European Union for edible crops. The European Food Safety Authority published reasoned 
opinions on the existing MRLs. Based on these opinions, Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 
should be amended following a risk analysis approach.  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   
− Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 
23 February 2005 on maximum residue levels of pesticides in or on food and feed of 
plant and animal origin and am ending Council Directive 91/414/EEC  
http://eur -lex.europa.eu/legal -content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32005R0396  
− EFSA Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessm ent of the active 
substance etoxazole; EFSA Journal 2017;15(10):4988  
https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4988  
− EFSA Reasoned Opinion on the review of the existing maximum residue levels for 
methomyl according to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005; EFSA Journal 
2015;13(10):4277  
https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4277  
− EFSA Reasoned Opinion on the setting of import tolerances for t eflubenzuron in 
grapefruits, mandarins and broccoli; EFSA Journal 2018;16(11):5474  
https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5474  
− EFSA Scientific support for preparing an EU position in the 49th Session of the Codex 
Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR); EFSA Journal 2017;15(7):4929  
https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4929  
(available in English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 11 September 2023  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 11 October 2023  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [X]  Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 1 May 2024  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 25 April 2023  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
European Commission  
SANTE - Directorate -General for Health and Food Safety  
Directorate D, Unit A4 Multilateral International Relations  
Rue Froissart 101  
Tel: +(322) 29 54263/60933/80895  
Fax: +(322) 29 98566  
E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu  
Website:  http://www.ec.europa.euhttp://ec. europa.eu/food/safety/international_affairs/wt
o/index_en.htm  G/SPS/N/EU/617  
 
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  13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
European Commission  
SANTE - Directorate -General for Health and Food Safety  
Directorate D, Unit A4 Multilateral International Relations  
Rue Froissart 101  
Tel: +(322) 29 54263/60933/80895  
Fax: +(322) 29 98566  
E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu  
Website:  http://www.ec.europa.euhttp://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/international_affairs/wt
o/index_en.htm