Recently, the General Office of the National Health Commission and the General Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs ("MARA") have jointly released the Agreed Opinions on Issues Relating to the Administration of Standards for Pesticide Residues and Veterinary Drug Residues in Food (the "Opinions"), with effect from the date of promulgation.
The Opinions state that the National Food Safety Standard Review Committee (the "Review Committee") will be in charge of the review of national food safety standards and have special committees for pesticide residues and veterinary drug residues set up under it for the review of the maximum residue limits, testing methods, good practices and standards for pesticide and veterinary drug residues in food. The Opinions also specify that MARA will be responsible for the organization and routine management of these two special committees, which, according to the Articles of Association of the National Food Safety Standard Review Committee, shall be subject to the centralized management of the Review Committee. The Opinions also point out that both pesticide residue and veterinary drug residue standards are national food safety standards. The leading authority on the release or abolition of the maximum residue limits, testing methods, good practices and standards for pesticide residues in food and for veterinary drug residues in food will be different.