Modification of the existing maximum residue level for phenmedipham in strawberries

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicant Landwirtschaftliches Technologiezentrum Augustenberg submitted a request to the competent national authority in Germany to modify the existing maximum residue level (MRL) for the active substance phenmedipham in strawberries. Noting that at least one additional trial is missing, an MRL of 0.7 mg/kg was derived for the intended NEU use of phenmedipham on strawberries. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of phenmedipham in strawberries at the validated limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 mg/kg. Since the current MRL application was submitted before the finalisation of the EU pesticides peer review of the renewal of the approval of phenmedipham, the consumer exposure assessment was performed according to the conclusions on the toxicity of phenmedipham from the first approval under Directive 91/414/EEC. Accordingly, the long‐term intake of residues of phenmedipham resulting from the existing and the intended uses is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health. EFSA notes that the present assessment does not take into account the data gaps identified in the context of the renewal of the approval of phenmedipham under Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, which prevented experts to derive toxicological reference values (TRVs) for phenmedipham, to derive the risk assessment residue definition for fruit crops and to conclude on the toxicity of relevant metabolites.