Setting of an import tolerance maximum residue limit for dimethomorph in hops.

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicant BASF Agro B.V. Arnhem (NL) Freienbach Branch submitted a request to the competent national authority in the Netherlands to set an import tolerance for the active substance dimethomorph in hops imported from the United States. The data submitted in support of the request was sufficient to derive an MRL proposal of 50 mg/kg which is lower than the existing maximum residue level (MRL) of 80 mg/kg for hops, recommended to be maintained in the recent targeted MRL review for dimethomorph. Therefore, no modification of the existing MRL is proposed. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of dimethomorph (sum of isomers) in hops at the validated combined LOQ of 0.01 mg/kg. Dimethomorph is no longer approved for use in plant protection products in the EU. In this context, EFSA re-assessed the consumer risk associated with dimethomorph residues considering Codex MRLs and existing import tolerances conducted in the targeted MRL review and in a recent IT application on grapes, taking into account new data on the processing for beer. EFSA concluded that the requested import tolerance in hops is unlikely to pose a risk to consumer health.