With the fiercely debated EFSA decision to extend the license for glyphosate for another five years, the achievement of the WTO ministerial conference in Buenos Aires is very welcomed. 17 signatory countries have agreed to increase the capacity of Codex in setting international standards on maximum residue levels (MRLs). This will contribute to the harmonization of global MRLs for pesticides, rather than regional ones. The initiative was driven by Kenya, Uganda and the United States. It is notable that European representatives are not signatories to this document. And while it is desirable to have harmonized MRLs, it is at least equally desirable to have them ‘ALARA’, as low as reasonably achievable.
