On Thursday 14 December, the European Parliament opposed two draft European Commission regulations aimed at raising the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for fipronil and tricyclazol in foodstuffs and animal feed in order to facilitate imports into the EU.
It was therefore in agreement with the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (see EUROPE 13305/11).
The objection to the plan to double the MRL for fipronil in sugarcane was adopted by 317 votes to 148, with 77 abstentions. The reason given for this is that fipronil has not been authorised in the EU for most seed treatments since 2013, and the proposal aims to allow fipronil to be used for seed treatment in Brazil, to facilitate the export and transport of sugarcane residues to feed European livestock, and to facilitate the export of Brazilian meat to the EU.
The objection to the proposal to increase the MRL for tricyclazol in rice (from 0.01 to 0.09 mg/kg) (500 votes in favour, 42 against and 4 abstentions) was adopted on the grounds that the use of this fungicide has been banned in the EU since 2016, as have imports of products with residues above the analytical quantification level. MEPs cite the need for a level playing field between EU and third-country farmers. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)