India and 16 other nations complain to WTO about EU’s pesticide residue limits
Date:11-12-2019
India and sixteen other countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and the US have complained at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against the EU decision to amend its policy on the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for a wide range of pesticides mainly used in the cultivation of citrus fruit and bananas.
The countries raised the matter at the meeting of the WTO Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures on November 7-8 in Geneva and underlined that the new requirements were not backed by science.
“The seventeen countries that raised their voices against the lowered MRL levels by the EU alleged that the bloc was following a precautionary stance in taking its decisions and was disregarding scientific evidence presented by relevant international organisations recognized by the SPS Agreement,” a Geneva-based trade official said.
The seventeen countries that jointly raised their concern include Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador, Guatemala, India, Panama and Paraguay. Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Peru, United States and Uruguay.
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