The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its peer review conclusion on the pesticide active substance cymoxanil, identifying several data gaps that prevent finalisation of the risk assessment for human health and the environment. The conclusion, adopted on 29 May 2026 and published on 7 July 2026, covers the representative uses of cymoxanil as a fungicide on potatoes, tomatoes, and grapes.
EFSA found that the available data are insufficient to finalise the assessment of genotoxicity potential and health-based guidance values for several metabolites, and the endocrine-disrupting potential of cymoxanil could not be concluded under EU criteria. The consumer dietary risk assessment remains open due to outstanding data on metabolite identity and toxicity. In ecotoxicology, a high long-term risk to birds and mammals was identified for several uses, and chronic risk to bees could not be finalised for some formulations. The assessment was conducted under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 844/2012, as amended, following an application by the Cymoxanil AIR4 Task Force (comprising Belchim, Corteva, Indofil, Oxon, and UPL) and Agria SA. One applicant, Société Financière de Pontarlier, withdrew in December 2021. The rapporteur Member State Lithuania and co-rapporteur Finland provided the initial evaluation.
The unresolved issues mean that the approval of cymoxanil under Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 cannot be confirmed at this stage. The European Commission and Member States will consider EFSA's conclusions in the renewal decision. Stakeholders most affected include the applicant companies, which face potential loss of approval or additional data requirements; farmers relying on cymoxanil for disease control in potatoes, tomatoes, and grapes, who may need alternative fungicides; and consumers, whose exposure risk remains unquantified. Environmental groups may view the identified risks to birds, mammals, and bees as a basis for non-renewal, while the agricultural sector may push for conditional approval pending further data.