G/SPS/GEN/1842  
 
16 October 2020 
(20-7138) Page: 1/1 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 
US INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION (USITC) REPORT,  "GLOBAL  
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF MISSING AND LOW PESTICIDE  
MAXIMUM RESIDUE LEVELS (MRLS), VOL. 1 " 
SUBMISSION  BY THE UNITED STATES  OF AMERICA  
The following document , received on 14 October  2020, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the United Sta tes of America . 
 
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1.1.  The United States would like to call attention to the first volume of the recently released 
US International Trade Commission (USITC) report entitled, "Global Economic Impact of Missing and 
Low Pesticide Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) ". The Office of the United States Trade 
Representative (USTR) requested this assessment to gain a greater understandi ng of existing and 
emerging challenges to the current international and country -specific frameworks for MRLs and 
determine whether current frameworks provide adequate support for agricultural trade.  
1.2.  Many Members of this Committee have shared their concerns  about how unnecessarily low or 
missing MRLs negatively affect international trade. Following the Workshop on Pesticide MRLs held 
in October 2016 for WTO SPS Committee Members, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, 
Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Re public, Japan, Kenya, Madagascar, New Zealand, Panama, 
Paraguay, Peru, Uganda, United States, and Uruguay submitted G/SPS/W/292/Rev.4 , which 
identified possible next steps for consideration by the SPS Committee.  
1.3.  The document co -sponsors noted the important role of the Committee  in increasing 
coordination and harmonization around MRLs, and Members have continued to engage in the 
Committee around this timely, relevant issue, seeking to identify ways to reduce unnecessary 
barriers to trade.  
1.4.  These discussions culminated with a recom mendation in the recently adopted Fifth Review of 
the operation and implementation of the SPS Agreement ( G/SPS/64 ) that Members promote 
transparency and predictability worldwide on MRLs. The Review further notes that improved 
harmonization to Codex MRLs, as well as to regional MRLs, where no Cod ex standards exist, may 
facilitate trade.  
1.5.  The United States views the USITC report as an important contribution to the Committee 's 
ongoing discussions around MRLs. The report examines current and emerging challenges to global 
agricultural production from e xisting and evolving pest and disease pressures in different climates 
and regions, and compares national and international policies for establishing pesticide standards.  
It also explores the effect of these policies on international agricultural trade.  
1.6.  Volume two of the report, which will focus on the costs and effects of MRL policies on 
US producers, as well as on the global impact of MRLs, is expected to be released in February 2021.  
1.7.  USITC is an independent, non -partisan federal agency in the United St ates. The full report and 
news release can be found on USITC 's website, 
https://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub5071.pdf . G/SPS/GEN/1842  
 
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  1.8.  An informal virtual SPS side event, "Farmers ' Perspectives on SPS  Challenges for Sustainable 
Food Production and Trade ", will be held on Monday, 2 November 2020, at 10:30 AM CET, during 
which the USITC report on missing and low pesticide MRLs will be presented.  
 
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