G/TBT/W/688  
25 November  2019 
(19-8006) 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  
13 AND 15 NOVEMBER 2019  
The following communication, dated 1 3 November  2019, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Ecuador . 
 
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1.1.  Ecuador wishes to thank C olombia and the USA for keeping attention focused on this agenda 
item, and renews  its concern at the measure notified by the European Union (E U) to the WTO 
(G/TBT/N/EU/625) concerning the non -renewal of the approval of the active substance chlorothaloni l 
in the European market, particularly in anticipation of a future reduction of the maximum residue 
limits (MRLs) of this product, which would seriously affect the banana trade.  
1.2.  Ecuador is the world's leading banana exporter, trading with around 85 international markets, 
including the EU as one of its main trading partners . 
1.3.  Banana exports from Ecuador account for approximately 35 % of agricu ltural GDP, with over 
160,000 hectares under cultivation for bananas and nearly 4,500 banana producers, 75 % of whom 
are small producers . 
1.4.  Because of the industry's economic importance, Ecuador places great emphasis on maintain ing 
the quality of this export . Many plantations in the country meet international quality standards with 
ISO, HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point), Rainforest Alliance , GLOBALG.A.P. and 
Fairtrade certification.  
1.5.  With specific reference to pesticides , under the terms of the  Andean regulations on the 
registration and control of chemical pesticides for agricultural use, the toxicological, ecotoxicological 
and agronomic specifications for obtaining the registration of a pesticide in Ecuador must be 
science -based and developed a ccording to internationally recognized methods and protocols, with 
standardization and acceptance by international reference organizations . 
1.6.  These are subjected to technical assessment by our National Technical Committee on 
Pesticides, comprising Agrocalida d and the national health and environment authorities which 
analyse everything relating to active ingredients : authorized use, 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 , both to ensure 
the biological effectiveness of the product , and to prevent health and environmental risk.  
1.7.  It is also worth noting that  banana production in Ecuador occu rs largely in the context of the 
household economy and the "popular and solidarity economy", which means that the sector 
contributes to job creation and rural poverty reduction . The country's banana sector accounts for 
between 2  million  and 2.5  million  jobs at various stages of the value chain . Therefore any thing that 
affects banana exports will have an immediate impact on the livelihood of  thousand s of producers 
and low -income agricultural workers . 
1.8.   Ecuador had commented on the EU's notification contained in document G/TBT/N/EU /625, and 
in its reply dated 5 February  2019, the EU states that the assessment conducted by EFTA was no t G/TBT/W/688  
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  scientifically conclusive , and could therefore not ascertain that chlorothalonil  metabolites would 
contaminate the groundwater  or have genotoxic effec ts on consumers.  
1.9.  For these reasons, and to avoid unnecessarily disrupting the food production sector in 
developing countries, Ecuador is asking the EU, before taking a decisi on on the reduction of MRLs of 
chlorothalonil, to carry out  a risk -assessment stud y in accordance with the provisions of the 
Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, and to maintain the current MRLs  until all 
scientific data  that justifies the setting of MRLs different from those established  by the Codex 
Alimentarius  is collect ed. 
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