On March 26, 2020, the European Commission published the Final Report of an audit carried out in the United States, from 7 to 15 October 2019, in order to assess the control system in place to control aflatoxin contamination in peanuts intended for export to the European Union (EU).

The European Commission notified the World Trade Organization of the Draft Commission Implementing Regulation concerning the non-renewal of approval of the active substance fenamiphos, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market, and amending the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011.

The report of the Standing Committee of the Section ‘Phytopharmaceuticals’, held on February 17-18, 2020, has been published (see previous post).

The European Commission notified the World Trade Organization of the Draft Commission Regulation amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for bupirimate, carfentrazone-ethyl, emamectin, ethirimol and pyriofenone in or on certain products.

On February 18, 2020, China announced an exclusion process for additional tariffs imposed on specific US origin products.

On February 6, 2020, China announced tariff reductions on certain US origin products, which entered into force on February 14, 2020.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has received several initial filings of pesticide petitions requesting the establishment or modification of regulations for residues of pesticide chemicals in or on various commodities.

From January 1, 2020, US almonds can be exported to Morocco free of quotas and tariffs.