China-Canada Pesticide Management Technical Seminar was held in Beijing

Mr. Peter Chan, Director General of the Health Evaluation Directorate, Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) of Health Canada, led a four-people PMRA delegation to China on 27-29 March 2017. The delegation and the Institute of Agrochemicals of the Ministry of Agriculture (ICAMA) jointly convened the China-Canada Pesticide Management Technical Seminar in Beijing. The two sides conducted in-depth exchanges and discussions on environment health risk assessment, reevaluation management, bio-pesticide management, the establishment of Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and laws, regulations and policies on pesticide management.

Mr. Zhou Puguo, Director General of ICAMA attended the opening ceremony and noted that pesticide registration and management departments of China and Canada enjoy long history of cooperation. By drawing upon pesticide management experience and technical methods of Canada, China has established a management system of pesticide risk assessment and pesticide registration review with Chinese features. In the background of global harmonization of pesticide registration review, both China and Canada face many common pressure and challenges in pesticide management and food safety. Relevant and targeted exchanges and discussions between ICAMA and PMRA are crucially important for China to improve pesticide management and ensure the quality and safety of agricultural products. Such activities will promote further cooperation in pesticide registration review, risk assessment, the establishment of MRLs, among others.

In the themed discussion on environment risk, Ms. Lai Gui, Senior Evaluation Officer, of PMRA introduced the process of pesticide risk assessment, models of environment risk assessment, exposure assessment models, environment hazard models and three-tier method of risk analysis. Qu Mengmeng, Deputy Director of Environment Division of ICAMA introduced the methods and procedures of pesticide environment risk assessment in China and analyzed key scenarios and models in the process of risk assessment by taking aquatic ecosystem, birds, bees and other targets as examples. In the themed discussion on bio-pesticides, Dr. Peter Chan of PRMA introduced the risk management framework of bio-pesticide and data requirements and evaluation criteria for the registration of bio-pesticides, which are different from that for chemical pesticides. Yuan Shankui, Deputy Director of Efficacy Division of ICAMA introduced the definition and scope of bio-pesticide in China, which are different from that of the world, incentive policies issued by the Chinese government for the use of bio-pesticides, data requirements for the registration of bio-pesticide in China and challenges for the development of bio-pesticides. In the themed discussion of MRLs, Dr. Peter Chan introduced the procedures for MRLs establishment, calculation methods, and requirements of import MRLs, among others. Ms. Zhu Guangyan, senior agronomist of the Residue Division of ICAMA, introduced relevant legal framework, institutions and steps of MRLs establishment in China and plans on the establishment of import MRLs and default MRLs for the next step. In the themed discussion of reevaluation management, Ms. Meiqin Qi, Senior Re-evaluation Coordination Officer of PMRA made detailed introduction on laws, regulations and policies of pesticide reevaluation in Canada and six-step procedures of evaluation. Lin Ronghua, Deputy Director of Reevaluation Division of ICAMA introduced work completed in pesticide registration reevaluation in China and work plan. In the themed discussion of pesticide management laws, regulations and policies, Mr. Lars Juergensen, Director of Policy and Strategic Advice Office of PMRA introduced the transparency of the pesticide review process, the establishment and confirmation of import MRLs, among others.  Dr. Li Youshun, senior agronomist of Supervision Division of ICAMA introduced relevant information of the new Pesticide Management Regulation to be promulgated and implemented in China.

In closing, Mr. Yan Duanxiang, Deputy Director General of ICAMA noted that China's pesticide management is in transition, with new regulations to be promulgated and implemented and relevant supporting rules in the pipeline. The outcome of this exchange activity will provide reference and guidance for the implementation of the new regulation. He also introduced China's plan of MRLs establishment and emphasized that MRLs shall be established according to a science-based evaluation method, taking fair trade environment into consideration and with the purpose of ensuring consumers' health. Deputy Director Yan Duanxiang also noted that ICAMA will send staff to PMRA for internship-based training and exchanges in PMRA and will invite PMRA experts to China for lecture and exchanges. Exchanges and cooperation at technical level will be further deepened.   

Madame Ji Ying, Chief Agronomist of ICAMA, and over 30 directors and experts of pesticide administration, pesticide efficacy, residue, toxicology, environment, re-evaluation, supervision, international cooperation and CCPR Secretariat participated in the Seminar.