European Parliament Blocks EU-Banned Pesticide Residues in Imported Food

In a recent plenary session on 18 September 2024, the European Parliament blocked two European Commission decisions that would have allowed residues of pesticides currently banned in the EU in imported food products.

Details of the Blocked Decisions

The decisions concerned maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides such as cyproconazole and spirodiclofen in cereals, seeds and meat products, as well as benomyl, carbendazim and thiophanate-methyl in citrus fruits and okra. These pesticides are highly toxic and are banned in the EU due to their serious health and environmental risks. Carbendazim, thiophanate-methyl and cyproconazole are classified as mutagenic, reprotoxic and endocrine disruptors, with the potential to harm human health and aquatic life. MEPs argued that allowing residues of these pesticides in imports would endanger public health and create unfair competition for EU farmers.

MEPs Call for Equal Standards

The resolutions stressed that products imported from non-EU countries should meet the same safety standards as those produced in the EU, to ensure a level playing field. The objection to the Commission’s decision on cyproconazole and spirodiclofen was supported by 522 MEPs, while 516 MEPs voted against the use of benomyl, carbendazim and thiophanate-methyl.

Next steps

The Commission must now withdraw its proposals and come forward with new draft that lower the MRLs to the limit of detection or set a default value of 0.01 mg/kg.