According to the European Food Safety Authority's response, it is clear that pesticides containing chlorpyrifos do not meet the approval criteria applied to human health after some concerns through evidence of inter epidemiology. Regarding the neurodevelopmental outcome in children and no toxic reference value, EU countries voted to completely ban pesticides containing the active ingredient chlorpyrifos on the European market. This was conducted through a meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCOPAFF) on December 6, 2019.
Immediately after the meeting, the European Union Commission sent the notification document to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on December 12, 2019, after which it was circulated with G / SPS / N / EU by the WTO. / 360. Notice of WTO with the content of the draft regulation of the Commission (EU) amending Annexes II and V to Regulation (EC) according to the 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerned For active ingredients chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl. The draft is an EU proposal to reduce the MRL for the active ingredients chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl found in all products.
After voting to ban chlorpyrifos and sending a notice to the WTO, the European Union Commission issued EU Implementing Regulations 2020/17 and EU 2020/18 and was published in the official EU journal on January 13, 2020 regulating the ban on the active ingredient chlorpyrifos through the following:
Article 1: No extension of use of 2 active ingredients chlorpyrifos-methyl (and chlorpyrifos)
Article 2: Amending Implementation Regulation (EU) No 540/2011
Part A of the Annex on Implementation Regulations (EU) No 540/2011, row 112, on chlorpyrifos-methyl, (and row 111, on chlorpyrifos) has been removed.
Article 3: Member States shall withdraw products containing active ingredient chlorpyrifos-methyl (and chlorpyrifos) by February 16, 2020.
Article 4: In accordance with Article 46 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, any grace granted by a Member State is due no later than April 16, 2020.
Article 5: This Regulation will come into effect 3 days after being published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This regulation is mandatory and applies directly in all member states.
Reaction of spice industry
In response to the EU's move to ban chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl, the spice industry reacted strongly when it came to creating livelihoods for farmers in many developing countries. Therefore, lowering the MRLs for chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl of the European Union, which is the largest market in the world, will cause a great loss in the global spice industry supply chain.
The International Pepper Association (IPC), as a representative of its member countries, has been working with the Government and the spice industry on this issue. IPC sent a letter to the European Commissioner on food safety and health on 17/01/2020 requesting a longer transition period for IPC member countries to comply with the new regulation. In addition to the IPC letter, IPC member countries Malaysia and Vietnam sent a dispatch in January 2020 asking the EU to reconsider the application of the new MRL and consider making the transition more feasible. IPC has also collaborated with industries such as the European Spice Association (ESA), the International Spice Trade Organization (IOSTA), the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA) and other related organizations. to raise your full opinion to the WTO.
The European Spices Association (ESA) with more than 400 members is the European-based company in the spice industry, as a representative of the spice processing industry in Europe, in consultation with the European Commission. Europe on February 7, 2020 and requires an appropriate transition period of 2 years until the new MRL takes effect and waives the recall of products that have been manufactured and are currently on the market.
The International Spices Trade Association (IOSTA) makes the same requirements as ESA, representatives of the global spice industry, including trade associations of developing regions and importing countries. Dispatch 10/2/2020 to the European Commission. IOSTA requires: exempt from recall for existing products on the market; a more reasonable transition period until 2023 and the establishment of the MRL is based on technical feasibility, taking into account the inevitable challenges in the supply chain and the existence of a chemical environment.
What happens next to Chlorpyrifos and Chlorpyrifos-methyl in Europe
With EU Commission Regulation 2020/17 and EU 2020/18 beginning to take effect on January 16, 2020, European countries have to withdraw pesticides containing chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl on February 16, 2020 with an extended grace period until April 16, 2020.
Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feeds related to Residue Meeting on February 17-18, 2020, exchanging views and opinions of the Committee on the draft Regulation of EU on amendments to Annexes II and V to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and the Council concerning maximum residue levels for chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl contained in the product. After the adoption of the Commission's Draft Regulation stated above, the maximum residue levels of all chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl active ingredients will be reduced to 0.01 mg / kg and will take effect. in October 2020.
With the new MRL taking effect in October 2020, stakeholders in agriculture, including the spice industry, will experience significant events. For the spice-growing cycle in harvest, export and trade takes at least 3 years, farmers will not only lose an important tool in pest management, reducing yields. , but it is also not possible to export products containing residues to the EU, in the worst case scenario this will last for 2-3 years if the industry cycle is taken into account. Furthermore, with regard to Pepper, the new MRLs will deal a sharp blow to the ongoing price reduction trend as farmers must start looking for other biocides to replace chlorpyrifos at a much higher cost to keep production output.
Trade will be greatly affected, as the transit time is too short for this widely used pesticide, meaning that all manufactured and shelf-free products do not meet the MRL requirement. new and need to be destroyed. Therefore, causing serious financial waste to the pepper trade.
Moreover, with the launch of new MRLs in October 2020, this will cause a significant disruption of the supply of spices to European countries for pepper in particular by most pepper producing countries such as Indonesia. , Vietnam and Brazil, which supply pepper to most European pepper importing countries, while chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl are currently allowed to be used in agriculture in these producing countries. . With the prospect of consignments being refused to enter the EU due to chlorpyrifos residue, the scarcity of pepper in European countries is imminent.
You can read more at the link: https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/pesticides/approval_active_substances/chlorpyrifos_chlorpyrifos-methyl_en
