THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 relating to fertilisers(1), and in particular Article 29(4) and Article 31(1) and (3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) A manufacturer of isomeric mixture of 2-(3,4-dimethylpyrazole-1-yl)-succinic acid and 2-(4,5-dimethylpyrazole-1-yl)-succinic acid (‘DMPSA’) has via the Czech authorities submitted a request to the Commission to include DMPSA as a new entry in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003. DMPSA is a nitrification inhibitor that used together with mineral nitrogen fertilisers reduces the risk of nitrogen losses in the form of N2O emissions that leads to a higher nitrogen efficiency of fertilisers containing DMPSA.
(2) DMPSA fulfils the requirements laid down in Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003. It should therefore be included in the list of fertiliser types in Annex I to that Regulation.
(3) Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 requires the control of EC fertiliser in accordance with the methods of sampling and analysis that are described in Annex IV thereto. The inclusion of DMPSA in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 requires the addition of an analytical method to be applied for the official controls of this fertiliser type in Annex IV to that Regulation.
(4) In addition, Method 1 on Preparation of the sample for analysis should be further developed by including additional European standards on sampling in general, as well as on sampling of static heaps. Lastly, the current Methods 9 for micro-nutrients at a concentration of less than or equal to 10 % and Methods 10 for micro-nutrients at a concentration greater than 10 % in Annex IV are not internationally recognised and should be replaced by European standards recently developed by the European Committee for Standardisation.
(5) Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(6) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 32 of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 is amended as follows:
Annex I is amended in accordance with Annex I to this Regulation;
Annex IV is amended in accordance with Annex II to this Regulation.
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 27 June 2019.
For the Commission
The President
Jean-Claude Juncker
In Table F.1 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003, the following row 5 is added:
| ‘5 | Isomeric mixture of 2-(3,4-dimethylpyrazole-1-yl)-succinic acid and 2-(4,5-dimethylpyrazole-1-yl)-succinic acid (DMPSA) EC No 940-877-5 | Minimum: 0,8 Maximum: 1,6’ |
In Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003, Section B is amended as follows:
Method 1 is replaced by the following:
EN 1482-1, Fertilizers and liming materials — Sampling and sample preparation — Part 1: Sampling
EN 1482-2, Fertilizers and liming materials — Sampling and sample preparation — Part 2: Sample preparation
EN 1482-3, Fertilizers and liming materials — Sampling and sample preparation — Part 3: Sampling of static heaps’
Methods 9 are replaced by the following:
EN 16964: Fertilizers — Extraction of total micro-nutrients in fertilizers using aqua regia
This method of analysis has been ring-tested.
EN 16962: Fertilizers — Extraction of water soluble micro-nutrients in fertilizers and removal of organic compounds from fertilizer extracts
This method of analysis has been ring-tested.
EN 16965: Fertilizers — Determination of cobalt, copper, iron, manganese and zinc using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS)
This method of analysis has been ring-tested
EN 16963: Fertilizers — Determination of boron, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc using ICP-AES
This method of analysis has been ring-tested.
EN 17041: Fertilizers — Determination of boron in concentrations ≤ 10 % using spectrometry with azomethine-H
This method of analysis has been ring-tested.
EN 17043: Fertilizers — Determination of molybdenum in concentrations in concentrations ≤ 10 % using spectrometry of a complex with ammonium thiocyanate
This method of analysis has been ring-tested.’
Methods 10 are replaced by the following:
EN 16964: Fertilizers — Extraction of total micro-nutrients in fertilizers using aqua regia
This method of analysis has been ring-tested.
EN 16962: Fertilizers — Extraction of water soluble micro-nutrients in fertilizers and removal of organic compounds from fertilizer extracts
This method of analysis has been ring-tested.
EN 16965: Fertilizers — Determination of cobalt, copper, iron, manganese and zinc using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS)
This method of analysis has been ring-tested.
EN 16963: Fertilizers — Determination of boron, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc using ICP-AES
This method of analysis has been ring-tested.
EN 17042: Fertilizers — Determination of boron in concentrations > 10 % using acidimetric titration
This method of analysis has not been ring-tested.
CEN/TS 17060: Fertilizers — Determination of molybdenum in concentration > 10 % using gravimetric method with 8-hydroxyquinoline
This method of analysis has not been ring-tested.’