. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/841/Rev.1 
9 May 2008 
 
 (08-2192) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
MLR FOR PINEAPPLE – ETHEPHON 
 
Statement by Ecuador
 
 
Revision  
 
  The following communication, received on 5 May 2008, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of Ecuador
. 
 
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 1. Ecuador would like to express its concern at the possible modification of the maximum 
residue levels (MRLs) for Ethephon in pineapple, in the context of the reforms currently being 
elaborated by the European Union's Standing Comm ittee on the food chain and animal health with 
respect to products related to pesticid es, contaminants and other substances. 
2. Currently, under European Commission Directive 2006/61/EC of July 2006, the MRL set by 
the European Union for Ethephon is 2 mg., while th e acute reference dose (ARfD) is 0.05 mg., in 
accordance with the recommendations of the Codex Alimentarius and as established at the Joint 
FAO/WTO meeting on pesticide re sidues in 2002 respectively. 
3. However, during the reassessment of these levels by the European Food Safety 
Authority (EFSA) in 2006/2007, the ARfD, namely  the dose that could cause adverse effects if 
exceeded in a single ingestion, was reduced to 0.03 mg./kg. 
4. This change led the European Union to revise all of its MRLs currently in force for pesticides 
and other contaminants, with the result that it a pparently proposes to reduce the MRL for Ethephon in 
pineapple from 2 mg./kg. to 0.05 mg./kg., which is the analytical detection limit. 
5. We do not feel that there is sufficient scientif ic justification for the establishment of these new 
maximum residue levels, since the EFSA's analysis  was based on a risk assessment conducted with 
inappropriate and incomplete information, withou t sufficient scientific evidence, and without taking 
account of the recommendation of the international re ference organization, in this case the Codex.  
This is clearly contrary to the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary 
Measures. 
6. It is also important to note that other st udies conducted by the EFSA for products such as 
wheat and barley establish levels that are higher than  for pineapple.  This contradicts the arguments 
put forward by the European authorities according to which current levels would cause damage to 
health. 
7. Although Ecuador has complied with the levels in force, the fact that the European market 
requires compliance with standards such as Global GAP means that a forty-fold reduction in the G/SPS/GEN/841/Rev.1 
Page 2  
 
  current limits, from 2 mg. to 0.05 mg., would preclude the use of this input to regulate plant growth, 
to control the pineapple ripening process, and to maintain the quality attributes demanded by the 
consumer, and  would ultimately mean failure to meet the European market's quality requirements. 
8. This would considerably damage our pin eapple exports, which are currently worth 
approximately 20 million dollars a nd account for 48% of our total exports.  Based on current export 
growth rates, the social impact would be consider able:  some 6,000 persons currently working in the 
sector would lose their jobs, and 5,200 fewer work ers would be hired over the next five years. 
9. For the above reasons, Ecuador considers th at the MRL values proposed under the new 
EU revision could result in a considerable restrict ion of access to the European pineapple market.  
Consequently Ecuador calls upon the European Co mmunities to consider maintaining the MRL for 
Ethephon in pineapple at 2 ppm, namely the level adopted both by the Codex and several developed 
countries following scientifically based studies whic h show that these levels are toxicologically 
acceptable, and that there is no scientific evidence of any damage to human health. 
10. Finally, Ecuador would be happy to discuss th is subject with the European Communities in 
order to find a satisfactory solution to its trade concern. 
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