Last month, China NATESC (National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center) reported the pest resistance monitoring results of 2017. 60 sites in 19 provincial areas were investigated, covering 21 patent or off-patent pesticides including chlorantraniliprole, penoxsulam, quinclorac, dinotefuran, bensulfuron, bispyribac and clodinafop-propargyl etc. The center pointed out that the main pests and diseases in food crops have developed significant resistance to the most commonly used pesticides and there is an urgent need of integrated and rotational measures and development of better system to monitor risk and assessment of pest resistance.

On 24 and 25 Apr 2018, an official training course on developing national pesticide MRL standard was held in Jiangsu. The event was organized by MoARR and was attended by ICAMA’s head agronomist Ms. Ji Ying. Ms. Ji revealed that the new version of GB2763 will be published this year and that a technical guidance on MRL establishment targeting imported agricultural products would also be drafted.

On 16 Apr 2018，Shandong ICA (Institute for the Control of Agrochemical, the provincial unit of ICAMA) opened a 45-day investigation on butachlor production and usage nationwide. In 2016, MoA initiated the revaluation on butachlor and 7 other active ingredients and an internal probe was opened to assess the provincial department. The national survey was organized by Shandong ICA under the delegation from the MoA/MoARR. Domestic butachlor producers are required to fill and submit 3 questionnaires by 31 May 2018.

On 1 Jul 2018, China will implement 12 new national standards for market surveillance of fertilizer products, including 6 product standards, 4 quality inspection methods and 2 classification criteria for humic fertilizers, compounded fertilizers, urea, calcium superphosphate, ammonium nitrate, liquid ammonia, fulvic acids for agricultural use and stabilized fertilizers (synergized fertilizers).

Pesticide MRL establishment not only protects the integrity of the food supply, but also protects domestic agriculture. China’s response to WTO TBT/SPS notifications varies depending on the impact on trade balance, the value of the commodity, existence of established MRLs and China’s overall trade relationship with the notifying country. Member countries are required to notify other countries of any new or revised regulations which affect trade and to set up offices (official enquiry points) to answer requests for more information on new or existing measures at the WTH level. In regards to pesticide, TBT includes pesticide/chemical registration regulations and measures concerning food safety, production, environmental and labeling, etc., while SPS is more on MRL establishment/amendment/exemption/cancellation, crop grouping and other agricultural or technical practice for pesticide uses. China participated in the WTO TBT/SPS notification activities as early as 2003 and has formed a mature response system to support international trade of agricultural products, protect its domestic agricultural production and consumers. Through the introduction of official comment on MRL notification and studies of recent cases, this article aims to demystify how these WTO MRL notifications impact China's national pesticide MRL establishment. Workflow of Official Comments In the last 2 years, China has made very few WTO notifications on new enactment or amendment of pesticide regulations and the majority of these notifications involved establishment, amendment or cancellation of pesticide MRLs. An official inquiry point was established at the National Quality Standardization Center of Agricultural Product under the MoARA (Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affair), receiving notifications from 19 countries/regions including the US, EU, Brazil, Canada and New Zealand etc. Each notification will be sent to relevant government body/institutions cover

On 17 Apr 2018, The Toxic and Chemical Substance Bureau under Taiwan Environmental Agency released their annual monitoring report of environmental agents. In 2017, 40,720 advertisements, labels and products were inspected and the qualification rate was 99%. One notable violation prompted Taiwan’s EPA to issue a public warning against mosquito repellents imported from Japan.

On the last days of February ICAMA released its latest pesticide risk assessment model COPrisk. Six models have been released to date, including the Repellents Risk Assessment Model, Repellents, Aerosols, CML model, TOP-Rice, China-PEARL. The models mentioned above, along with COPrisk offer guidance and assistance to companies preparing their risk assessment report for the purpose of complying with China pesticide registration data requirements.

On 20 March 2018, South Korea officially enacted its biocide regulation, “Law 15511-Act on the Safety Management of Household Chemical Products and Biocides”. This regulation comprises 60 articles organized into 7 chapters plus 5 articles in the Annex.  The new regulation establishes a fundamental framework of safety verification on household chemical products and pre-approval of biocidal substances and products. Depending on the notification and application plan of existing biocidal substances, K-BPR will offer different grace periods for biocidal substances and products. Some deadlines will be due as early as 2020 while others have been extended until 2032. All deadlines and corresponding eligibility criteria/clauses are summarized below.

On 9 Apr 2018, the Korean Ministry of Environment (MOE) opened a10-day investigation on biocidal substances used in biocidal products. Korean manufacturers and importers of biocidal products at and above medium-size are requested to fill and submit a questionnaire by 18 April. This move is will serve as a foundation for implementation of the pre-approval system introduced by “Law 15511-Act on the safety Management of Household Chemical Products and Biocides” which begins on the 1st of Jan 2019.