Reasoned opinion on the setting of new MRLs for penconazole in blackberries and raspberries

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, France, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from Syngenta Agro SAS to set new MRLs for the active substance penconazole in blackberries and raspberries. In order to accommodate for the intended uses of penconazole, France proposed to raise the existing MRLs in blackberries and raspberries from the limit of quantification of 0.05 mg/kg to 0.1 mg/kg. France drafted an evaluation report in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 which was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA. According to EFSA the data are sufficient to derive MRL proposals of 0.1 mg/kg for the proposed uses on blackberries and raspberries. Adequate analytical enforcement methods are available to control the residues of penconazole on the commodities under consideration. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concludes that the intended uses of penconazole on raspberries and blackberries will not result in a consumer exposure exceeding the toxicological reference values of the parent compound and therefore are unlikely to pose a consumer health risk. The consumer risk assessment should be regarded as provisional and does not take into consideration the triazole derivative metabolites (TDMs).