NOTIFICATION
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Notifying Member: EUROPEAN UNION If applicable, name of local government involved: |
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Agency responsible: European Commission, Health and Food Safety Directorate-General |
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Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable): Cereals (HS codes: 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1008), foodstuffs of animal origin (HS codes: 0201, 0202, 0203, 0204, 0205, 0206, 0207, 0208, 0209, 0210) and certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables |
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Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: [X] All trading partners [ ] Specific regions or countries: |
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Title of the notified document: Draft Commission Regulation amending Annexes II, III and V to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for benomyl, carbendazim and thiophanate‐methyl in or on certain products (Text with EEA relevance). Language(s): English.Number of pages: 16 https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/EEC/26_00739_00_e.pdf https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/EEC/26_00739_01_e.pdf https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/EEC/26_00739_02_e.pdf https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/EEC/26_00739_03_e.pdf |
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Description of content: The proposed draft Regulation concerns the lowering of existing MRLs for carbendazim and thiophanate‐methyl in certain food commodities. |
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Objective and rationale: [X] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, [ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from other damage from pests. |
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Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard: [X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex standard or related text): One Codex Maximum Residue Limit for thiophanate-methyl in almonds. [ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic Animal Health Code, chapter number): [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number): [ ] None Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard? [ ] Yes [X] No If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the international standard: The European Food Safety Authority published a reasoned opinion on the existing MRLs for carbendazim and thiophanate-methyl. Based on the opinion, Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 should be amended following a risk analysis approach. In addition, Codex revoked all CXLs for carbendazim (residue definition including thiophanate-methyl) in 2025. The current EU policy is to align EU MRLs with CXLs if the following conditions are fulfilled: (i) that the European Union sets MRLs for the commodity under consideration; (ii) that the current EU MRL is lower than the CXL; and (iii) that the CXL is acceptable to the European Union with respect to its policy objective of ensuring a high level of consumer protection, including aspects on supporting data and extrapolations. |
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Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:
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Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy): 1 July 2026 Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy): 2 July 2026 |
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Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication, and/or(dd/mm/yy): This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, and apply three months thereafter. [ ] Trade facilitating measure |
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Final date for comments: [X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification and/or (dd/mm/yy): 6 April 2026 Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body: European Commission DG Health and Food Safety, Unit A4-Multilateral International Relations Rue Froissart 101 B-1049 Brussels Tel: +(32 2) 29 54263 E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu |
| 13. |
Text(s) available from: [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body: European Commission DG Health and Food Safety, Unit A4-Multilateral International Relations Rue Froissart 101 B-1049 Brussels Tel: +(32 2) 29 54263 E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu |
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