Israel Updates Pesticides Residue Standards in Line with EU Directives

Israel has amended its public health protection regulations for food, adjusting maximum residue levels of pesticides to align with revised European Union provisions, including updates to Annexes to Regulation EC 396/2005

Compliance Answer: Israel’s Alignment with EU Pesticide Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) Under Regulation (EC) No 396/2005

Israel has adopted amendments to its Public Health Protection (Food) Law, 5776-2015, to align its pesticide maximum residue levels (MRLs) with revisions to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Union. The amendments incorporate updates to the EU regulation’s Annexes without modifications, conditions, or expansions, while preserving specific Israeli exceptions. Below is a structured analysis of the legal framework, key changes, and compliance requirements.

1. Legal Framework and Adoption of EU Regulation 396/2005

Israel formally adopted Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 through an indirect amendment to the Public Health Protection (Food) Law, 5776-2015 (Amendment No. 3), enacted under the Economic Plan Law (Legislative Amendments for the Implementation of Economic Policy for the Budget Years 2021 and 2022), 5782-2021^{1, 2, 3}. The regulation is implemented via Item 4 of Appendix II A to the Food Law and took effect on 1 January 2023^{1, 2, 3}.

Key Provisions:

• Scope: Applies to MRLs for pesticides in or on food and feed of plant or animal origin^{1, 2}.
• Exceptions: The regulation is not applied in its entirety. Exclusions are specified in:
  • Column A of Item 4 of Appendix II A to the Food Law^{1, 2, 3}.
  • Section 3A(a1) to (a5) of the Food Law, covering:
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Raw meat
  • Raw milk
  • Honey
  • Fresh eggs in their shells^{2, 3}.
• Dynamic Alignment: Israel adopts subsequent amendments to EU Regulation 396/2005 via Public Health Protection Notices published in the Official Gazette (Reshumot) by the Health Regulation Directorate (Food, Alcoholic Beverages and Cosmetics), Ministry of Health^{1, 2, 4, 3}. These notices incorporate EU changes without modifications, conditions, or expansions^{1, 2, 4, 3}.

2. Recent Amendments to MRLs (2025–2026)

Israel has issued a series of Public Health Protection Notices to align with EU updates to Annexes II, III, and IV of Regulation 396/2005. The notices apply the following EU regulations verbatim:

3. Compliance Requirements

A. General Obligations

1. Adherence to EU MRLs: Food business operators must comply with the updated MRLs as published in the Public Health Protection Notices^{1, 2, 4, 3}. Non-compliance may result in enforcement under the Public Health Protection (Food) Law, 5776-2015.
2. Exceptions: The exclusions in Column A of Item 4 of Appendix II A and Section 3A(a1)–(a5) remain applicable^{1, 2, 3}. For example:
   • Honey and apiculture products are subject to the updated acetamiprid MRLs², but raw milk and fresh eggs are excluded from the regulation’s scope^{2, 3}.
3. Trade Impact: The amendments affect all trading partners, as the notices apply universally to imported and domestic products^{2, 4, 3}.

B. Specific Updates

• Copper Compounds: Transition from Copper compounds (Annex III) to total Copper (Annex II)¹.
• Biological Agents: Betabaculovirus phoperculellae (a biological pesticide) is now listed in Annex IV, exempting it from MRL requirements³.
• Temporary Extensions: The Extension Order allows higher MRLs for specific pesticides/crops for limited periods, subject to Professional Advisory Committee recommendations⁵.

C. Enforcement and Monitoring

• The Ministry of Health’s Health Regulation Directorate is the competent authority for enforcement².
• The latest consolidated version of Regulation 396/2005, reflecting EU changes as of 12 May 2026, is published on the Food Service website^{1, 4}.

4. Summary Answer

Israel has aligned its pesticide MRL regulations with EU Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 through a series of Public Health Protection Notices (5786–2025 to 5786–2026), incorporating updates to Annexes II, III, and IV without modifications^{1, 2, 4, 3}. Key changes include revised MRLs for acetamiprid, copper compounds, Acequinocyl, Sulfoxaflor, and biological agents (e.g., Betabaculovirus phoperculellae)^{2, 4, 3}. Exceptions for fresh produce, raw milk, and honey remain under Appendix II A and Section 3A of the Food Law^{2, 3}. The Extension Order proposes temporary higher MRLs for specific crops, pending adoption⁵. Compliance is mandatory for all trading partners, with enforcement overseen by the Ministry of Health^{1, 2, 4, 3}.

Sources Cited:¹,²,⁴,⁵,³.

Sources

1. ↩ Public Health Protection Notice (Food) (Application of Changes to the Annex to European Union Directives) (Regulation EC 396/2005 – Maximum Residue Levels of Pesticides) (Amendment 4), 5786-2026 https://docs.wto.org/imrd/directdoc.asp?DDFDocuments/T/G/SPS/NISR12R5.docx
2. ↩ Public Health Protection Notice (Food) (Application of Amendments to the Annex to European Union Provisions) (Regulation 396/2005 – Maximum Residue Levels of Pesticides) (Amendment), 5786–2025 https://docs.wto.org/imrd/directdoc.asp?DDFDocuments/T/G/SPS/NISR12R4.docx
3. ↩ Public Health Protection Notice (Food) (Application of Changes to the Annex to European Union Directives) (Regulation EC 396/2005 – Maximum Residue Levels of Pesticides) (Amendment 2), 5786-2026 https://docs.wto.org/imrd/directdoc.asp?DDFDocuments/T/G/SPS/NISR12R1.docx
4. ↩ Public Health Protection Notice (Food) (Application of Changes to the Annex to European Union Directives) (Regulation EC 396/2005 – Maximum Residue Levels of Pesticides) (Amendment 3), 5786-2026 https://docs.wto.org/imrd/directdoc.asp?DDFDocuments/T/G/SPS/NISR12R3.docx
5. ↩ Public Health Protection Notice (Food) (Amendment of the Appendix II A) (Expansion in the Annexes to the European Union Directives) (Regulation EC 396/2005 – Maximum Residue Levels of Pesticides), 5786-2026 https://docs.wto.org/imrd/directdoc.asp?DDFDocuments/T/G/SPS/NISR12R2.docx