Commission Directive 2007/57/ECShow full title

Commission Directive 2007/57/EC

of 17 September 2007

amending certain Annexes to Council Directives 76/895/EEC, 86/362/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC as regards maximum residue levels for dithiocarbamates

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 76/895/EEC of 23 November 1976 relating to the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on fruit and vegetables(1), and in particular Article 5 thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 86/362/EEC of 24 July 1986 on the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on cereals(2), and in particular Article 10 thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 86/363/EEC of 24 July 1986 on the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on foodstuffs of animal origin(3), and in particular Article 10 thereof,

Having regard to Council Directive 90/642/EEC of 27 November 1990 on the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables(4), and in particular Article 7 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Maximum residue levels (MRLs) reflect the use of minimum quantities of pesticides to achieve effective protection of plants, applied in such a manner that the amount of residue is the smallest practicable and is toxicologically acceptable, in particular in terms of estimated dietary intake.

(2) MRLs for pesticides are kept under review and changed to take account of new information, including new or changed uses. Information about new or changed uses has been communicated to the Commission, which should lead to changes in the residue levels of maneb, mancozeb, metiram, propineb and thiram.

(3) The active substance ziram has been included in Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC(5) by Commission Directive 2003/81/EC(6). The inclusion in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC was based on the assessment of the information submitted concerning the proposed use. The information available has been reviewed and is sufficient to allow certain MRLs to be fixed.

(4) There are already Community MRLs in Directives 76/895/EEC, 86/362/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC for maneb, mancozeb, metiram, propineb and thiram. Those levels have been taken into consideration when adapting the MRLs concerned by this Directive. In particular, as in routine monitoring the residues of maneb, mancozeb, metiram, propineb, thiram and ziram cannot be individually identified, MRLs are set for the whole group of those pesticides which are also known as dithiocarbamates. However, for propineb, thiram and ziram single methods exist, although not on a routine basis. Those methods should be used on a case-by-case basis, when the specific quantification of propineb, ziram and/or thiram is required.

(5) The Commission review reports which were prepared for the inclusion in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC of the active substances concerned, fix the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) and, if necessary, the Acute Reference Dose (ARfD) for those substances. The exposure of consumers of food products treated with the active substance concerned has been assessed and evaluated in accordance with Community procedures. Account has also been taken of guidelines published by the World Health Organisation(7) and the opinion of the Scientific Committee for Plants(8) on the methodology employed. It has been concluded that the MRLs proposed will not lead to those ADI or ARfD being exceeded.

(6) Where authorised uses of plant protection products do not result in detectable levels of pesticide residues in or on the food product, or where there are no authorised uses, or where uses which have been authorised by Member States have not been supported by the necessary data, or where uses in third countries resulting in residues in or on food products which may enter into circulation in the Community market have not been supported with such necessary data, MRLs should be fixed at the lower limit of analytical determination.

(7) It is therefore necessary to modify the MRLs set out in the Annexes to Directives 76/895/EEC, 86/362/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC to allow proper surveillance and control of the prohibition of their uses and to protect the consumer. Where MRLs have already been defined in the Annexes to those Directives, it is appropriate to amend them. Where MRLs have not already been defined, it is appropriate to set them for the first time.

(8) Directives 76/895/EEC, 86/362/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC should therefore be amended accordingly.

(9) The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

(1)

OJ L 340, 9.12.1976, p. 26. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 2007/8/EC (OJ L 63, 1.3.2007, p. 9).

(2)

OJ L 221, 7.8.1986, p. 37. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 2007/27/EC (OJ L 128, 16.5.2007, p. 31).

(3)

OJ L 221, 7.8.1986, p. 43. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 2007/28/EC (OJ L 135, 26.5.2007, p. 6).

(4)

OJ L 350, 14.12.1990, p. 71. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 2007/39/EC (OJ L 165, 27.6.2007, p. 25).

(5)

OJ L 230, 19.8.1991, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 2007/52/EC (OJ L 214, 17.8.2007, p. 3).

(6)

OJ L 224, 6.9.2003, p. 29.

(7)

Guidelines for predicting dietary intake of pesticide residues (revised), prepared by the GEMS/Food Programme in collaboration with the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues, published by the World Health Organisation 1997 (WHO/FSF/FOS/97.7).

(8)

Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Plants regarding questions relating to amending the Annexes to Council Directives 86/362/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC (Opinion expressed by the Scientific Committee on Plants, 14 July 1998) (http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/index_en.html).