G/TBT/W/649  
8 July 2019 
(19-4511) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
EUROPEAN UNION - CHLOROTHALONIL (PESTICIDE ACTIVE SUBSTANCE)  
STATEMENT BY ECUADOR TO THE COMMITTEE ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE  
20 AND 21 JUNE 2019  
The following communication, dated 5 July 2019, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of Ecuador . 
 
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1.  Ecuador expresses its concern at the measure notified by the European Union (EU) to the WTO  
(G/TBT/N/EU/625) regarding the draft Commission Implementing Regulation concerning the  
non-renewal of the approval of the active substance chlorothalonil and the withdrawal of existing 
authorized plant protection  products containing chlorothalonil  from the market . 
2.  Even though this EU measure currently only refers to  the placing of this substance  on the market , 
we do wish to express concern since the next step will be measures that restrict maximum residue 
levels (MRLs) for this product, which could have a serious impact on the marketing of bananas.  
3.  Ecuador is the world's leading banana exporter , trading with around  85 international markets, 
including the EU as one of its main trading partners.  
4.  Banana exports from Ecuador account for approximately  35% of agricultural GDP , with over 
160,000 hectares under cultivat ion for bananas and nearly 4,500 banana produc ers, 75% of whom 
are small produc ers. 
5.  Banana production in Ecuador occurs largely in the context of the household  economy  and the 
"popular and solidarity economy ", which means that the sector contributes to job creation and 
poverty  reduction . The country's banana sector accounts for between 2 million  and 2.5 million  jobs 
at various stages of the value chain.  
6.  Most plantations in the country are hi gh-tech and many meet international quality  stand ards with 
ISO, HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point), Rainforest Alliance  or GLOBALG .A.P. 
certification . To date, 80,000 hectares of banana crops have GLOBALG .A.P. certification . Another 
16,000 hectares  have Rainforest Alliance certification a nd 10,000 hectares are Fairtrade -certifi ed. 
7.  Under the terms of the Andean  regulations on the registration and control of chemical pesticides  
for agricultural use, the toxicological , ecotox icological and agronomic specifications  for obtaining the 
registration  of a pesticide in Ecuador must be science-based and developed according to 
internationally recognized methods  and protocols , with standardiz ation and  accept ance by 
international reference organizations.  
8.  These are subjected to technical assessment by  our National  Technical Committee on 
Pesticides,  – comprising the Ecuadorian Agency for Agricultural Product Quality Assurance 
(AGROCALIDAD)  and the national  health and environment authorities –, which analyses everything 
relating to active ingredient s. The technical assessment  determines  the parameters for : authorized 
use (specific  interaction between  crop and pest concerned ), dosage, water consumption , method  of 
use and withholding  period for the registered product . The objective is to provide guidance for the 
correct use and handling of the product as part of good agricultural  practices, to prevent and  
minimize health and environment al risks , and to ensure the biological  effectiveness  of the product.  G/TBT/W/649  
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  9.  In the light of the above , Ecuador requests the EU, before taking a final decision on 
implement ation of  this measure and another on possible assessment of MRLs, t o consider all existing  
data and the comments submitted  to the European Commission in order to avoid any undue impact 
on the food production sector in developing countries.  
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