Reasoned opinion on the review of the existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) for dichlobenil according to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005

• Main Author: European Food Safety Authority
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2013-05-01
• Series: EFSA Journal
• Subjects: dichlobenil; MRL review; Regulation (EC) No 396/2005; consumer risk assessment; benzonitrile; herbicide; 2; 6 dichlorobenzamide (BAM)
• Online Access: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/doc/3218.pdf

According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) currently established at European level for the pesticide active substance dichlobenil. Considering that this active substance is no longer authorised within the European Union, that no MRLs are established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, and that no import tolerances were notified to EFSA, residues of dichlobenil are not expected to occur in any plant or animal commodity. Available data were also not sufficient to derive a residue definition or an LOQ for enforcement against potential illegal uses for the time being but this assessment may be reconsidered when the future review of MRLs for fluopicolide under the aforementioned regulation (EC) No 396/2005 will be carried out because fluopicolide is an authorised pesticide active substance generating a metabolite common to dichlobenil.