The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued an opinion on the possible health risks from certain proposed residue levels in pesticides in food and feed, one of the first steps towards full maximum residue limit (MRL) harmonisation.

MRLs that are considered safe for the population in one EU member state may not necessarily be safe in another country due to differing consumption habits across Europe.

An EU risk assessment of national MRLs is therefore necessary before they can be included in EU legislation, in order to ensure no unacceptable risks are posed to consumers across Europe.

EFSA has performed an initial risk assessment screening of the proposed temporary MRLs, based on available data provided by the European Commission. According to the risk assessment, 92 of the 236 active substances evaluated by EFSA were unlikely to present a risk to consumers, but the organisation could not exclude a potential threat to consumers from the 144 remaining substances.

EFSA has finalised its evaluation within the six-month timeframe agreed with the Commission and will now forward it to the European Commission, the European Parliament and member states.

More work is now to be carried out on these substances by the member states and the European Commission with a view to establishing temporary MRLs.