Approval of the active substance mefentrifluconazole

(1)

In accordance with Article 7(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, the United Kingdom received on 29 February 2016 an application from BASF Agro B.V. for the approval of the active substance mefentrifluconazole.

(2)

In accordance with Article 9(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, the United Kingdom, as rapporteur Member State, notified the applicant, the other Member States, the Commission and the European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) on 30 March 2016 of the admissibility of the application.

(3)

On 25 April 2017, the rapporteur Member State submitted a draft assessment report to the Commission with a copy to the Authority, assessing whether that active substance can be expected to meet the approval criteria provided for in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.

(4)

The Authority complied with Article 12(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. In accordance with Article 12(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, it requested that the applicant supply additional information to the Member States, the Commission and the Authority. The assessment of the additional information by the rapporteur Member State was submitted to the Authority in the format of an updated draft assessment report on 1 February 2018.

(5)

On 5 July 2018, the Authority communicated to the applicant, the Member States and the Commission its conclusion (2) on whether the active substance mefentrifluconazole can be expected to meet the approval criteria provided for in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. The Authority made its conclusion available to the public.

(6)

As regards the new criteria to identify endocrine disrupting properties introduced by Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/605 (3), which became applicable on 10 November 2018 and the joint guidance document to identify endocrine disrupting substances (4), the conclusion of the Authority infers that it is unlikely that mefentrifluconazole is an endocrine disrupter via the estrogenic, androgenic, thyroidogenic and steroidogenic modalities. Furthermore, based on the available evidence and according to the guidance for the identification of endocrine disruptors, mefentrifluconazole is unlikely to be an endocrine disruptor for fish considering that the test modalities have been appropriately covered. The Commission therefore considers that mefentrifluconazole is not to be considered as having endocrine disrupting properties.

(7)

On 12 December 2018, the Commission presented to the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed the review report for mefentrifluconazole and on 25 January 2019, it presented a draft Regulation providing that mefentrifluconazole is approved.

(8)

The applicant was given the possibility to submit comments on the review report.

(9)

It has been established with respect to one or more representative uses of at least one plant protection product containing the active substance, and in particular the uses which were examined and detailed in the review report, that the approval criteria provided for in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 are satisfied.

(10)

It is therefore appropriate to approve mefentrifluconazole.

(11)

In accordance with Article 13(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 in conjunction with Article 6 thereof and in the light of current scientific and technical knowledge, it is, however, necessary to include certain conditions and restrictions. It is, in particular, appropriate to require further confirmatory information.

(12)

In accordance with Article 13(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 (5) should be amended accordingly.

(13)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,