G/SPS/GEN/1796  
22 June 2020 
(20-4342) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original:  French  
 
  
EUROPEAN UNION AMENDMENTS OF MRLS FOR MANCOZEB –  
SPECIFIC TRADE CONCERN RAISED BY CÔTE D'IVOIRE  
COMMUNICATION FROM CÔTE D'IVOIRE  
The following communication, received on  19 June 2020, is being circulated at the request of 
Côte D'Ivoire. 
 
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1.  The agricultural sector accounts,  on average , for 28% of Côte d'Ivoire's GDP and 45 % of its 
exports (56 % in 2012) , or 62% of its exports  excluding oil . The population of Côte d'Ivoire consists 
of 12.6 million  urban  inhabitants and 12.3 rural inhabitants . The agricultural sector employs 46 % of 
the working population and provides a livelihood for two -thirds of the population.  
2.  The importance of the agricultur al sector derives from  the following : Côte d'Ivoire is the largest 
producer of cocoa and cashew nuts in the world, the fifth largest producer of palm oil in the world 
(and second in Africa), the seventh l argest producer  of natural rubber in the world (and the largest 
in Africa ), and the fourth largest  producer of cotton  in Africa . Moreover,  Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon 
are the leading  exporters  of bananas  in Africa , while Côte d'Ivoire is the thirteenth largest banana 
exporter in the world.  
3.  As a result, any measure that has an impact on the agricultural sector will inevitably affect the 
Ivorian economy as a whole and its rural population, which is composed primarily of women and 
young people in particular.  
4.  However, the various European Union  (EU) measures aimed at reducing  MRLs and , in some cases , 
simply removing  them altogether, as in the case of mancozeb, which is the subject of this discussion, 
will devastate  the agricultural sector in general and the banana industry in particular , driving them 
into an unprecedented economic slump.  
5.  It should be noted that mancozeb is a fungicide widely used by farmers . It is crucial to controlling 
black sigatoka (a devastating leaf disease  of banana  and plantain crops) , and no effective alternative 
is available  at present . Moreover, the risks posed by this product have not been scientifically proven.  
6.  It should also be noted that mancozeb has been used and authorized in all EU Member States 
since 1962 . As a non -systemic fungicide that has been used by farmers aroun d the world for over 
50 years, it controls a wide variety of fungi on a variety of crops, including soybeans, nuts, 
vegetables, potatoes and fruits (bananas, citrus and grapes).  
7.  In the banana sector in Côte d'Ivoire, and in Cameroon and Ghana, mancozeb is one of the key 
plant protection products used in strategies to control black sigatoka, which causes significant losses  
in production.  
8.  Since the loss of sensitivity to curative systemic plant protection products in the early 2000s, 
regular application of ma ncozeb -based contact products has become the only solution to controlling 
sigatoka in bananas . No similarly effective alternative is available on the market  at present , even 
though we have taken the initiative of trialling strategies that exclude contact products for several 
years, with renowned research ins titutes such as the National Research Institute for Agriculture, 
Food and Environment (INRAE) and the Centre for Int ernational Cooperation in Agricultural Research G/SPS/GEN/1796  
- 2 - 
  for Development  (CIRAD) , both in France . The "zero mancozeb" solutions currently being tested, 
based on low -volume mineral oil and biocontrol products, are not yet ready for large -scale 
commercial use.  
9.  Moreov er, in partnership with our technical institutes for environmentally sustainable production 
and the development of  agricultural science and technology, considerable efforts are being made to 
keep pace  with market requirements.  
10.  In this context, restricting the use of mancozeb or lowering its MRLs would seriously undermine 
the marketing of our highly regarded  products and impoverish rural communities, fuelling rural flight.  
11.  In light of th e situation, the Association of Fruit Produ cers-Exporters of Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon 
and Ghana (AFRUIBANA), which liaises  between producers in the sector and EU institutions with a 
view to  facilitat ing the implementation of support measures for African producers, is in total disarray.  
12.  With regard t o MRLs, while we recognize the right of Members to determine the appropriate 
level of sanitary or phytosanitary protection necessary to protect human, animal and plant life and 
health and to establish measures to this effect, we recall that such measures m ust be taken in 
accordance with the provisions of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary 
Measures and not create unnecessary barriers to trade.  
13.  In view of the above and the importance of the existing trade between Europe and Africa,  we 
ask the European Union to take steps to maintain the use of mancozeb and try to cancel  the entry 
into force of possible MRL reductions.  
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