Amendment to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 on certain products

The European Parliament has objected to a draft regulation that would have set maximum residue levels (MRLs) for certain pesticides, carbendazim and thiophanate-methyl, in food products imported into the EU.

This decision primarily affects EU farmers, who would face unfair competition from imports treated with these substances, and consumers, whose health could be at risk from higher residue levels.

The Parliament argues that maintaining these MRLs for imported goods contradicts EU standards, as carbendazim and thiophanate-methyl are banned or restricted in the EU due to health concerns, including mutagenicity and reproductive toxicity.

The Parliament calls for these MRLs to be lowered to the minimum detectable level and for no import tolerances to be granted for these substances, demanding a new draft regulation from the Commission.