A group of 18 African countries (including Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa) has recently joined a request from 12 mostly Latin American countries asking the European Union (EU) to suspend the elimination of Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for pesticides for 12 months in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic. The EU is pursuing a systematic policy to reduce MRLs to a default level of 0.01 mg/kg for those pesticides whose EU authorization is not renewed. This policy is affecting exports of grains, oilseeds, vegetables, fruits and other agricultural crops (from any non-EU origin) to the EU. It will likely be discussed at the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee (SPS) meeting of the WTO on June 23 and 24. A copy of the most recent version is attached.