El Salvador Extends Comment Period for Draft Pesticide MRL Regulation

On 19 February 2026, El Salvador notified the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) of an extension to the public comment period for draft Salvadoran Technical Regulation (RTS) No. 65.02.01:13, which establishes maximum residue limits (MRLs) for chemical pesticides in fruits and vegetables for domestic production and import.

The new deadline for comments is 21 March 2026.

The draft regulation aims to ensure that pesticide residues in unprocessed foods of plant origin do not pose risks to human or animal health or the environment. It applies to producers and importers of unprocessed plant-based foods for human consumption

MRLs will primarily follow Codex Alimentarius standards. Where Codex limits are unavailable, values set by the US EPA or EU Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 will apply. In the absence of specific limits, a default value of 0.01 mg/kg will be used under the precautionary principle.  If adopted, the regulation will enter into force 12 months after publication in the Official Gazette

Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments before the deadline.