(1)

The approval of the active substance thifensulfuron-methyl, as set out in Part A of the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 (2), expires on 30 June 2017.

(2)

An application for the renewal of the inclusion of thifensulfuron-methyl in Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC (3) was submitted in accordance with Article 4 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 1141/2010 (4) within the time period provided for in that Article.

(3)

The applicant submitted the supplementary dossiers required in accordance with Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1141/2010. The application was found to be complete by the rapporteur Member State.

(4)

The rapporteur Member State prepared a renewal assessment report in consultation with the co-rapporteur Member State and submitted it to the European Food Safety Authority (hereinafter ‘the Authority’) and the Commission on 17 July 2014.

(5)

The Authority communicated the renewal assessment report to the applicant and to the Member States for comments and forwarded the comments received to the Commission. The Authority also made the supplementary summary dossier available to the public.

(6)

On 15 July 2015 the Authority communicated to the Commission its conclusion (5) on whether thifensulfuron-methyl can be expected to meet the approval criteria provided for in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. The Commission presented the draft review report for thifensulfuron-methyl to the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed on 8 March 2016.

(7)

It has been established with respect to one or more representative uses of at least one plant protection product containing the active substance that the approval criteria provided for in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 are satisfied. Those approval criteria are therefore deemed to be satisfied.

(8)

It is therefore appropriate to renew the approval of thifensulfuron-methyl.

(9)

The risk assessment for the renewal of the approval of thifensulfuron-methyl is based on a limited number of representative uses, which however do not restrict the uses for which plant protection products containing thifensulfuron-methyl may be authorised. It is therefore appropriate not to maintain the restriction to uses as herbicide.

(10)

In accordance with Article 14(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 in conjunction with Article 6 thereof and in the light of current scientific and technical knowledge, it is necessary to include certain conditions. It is, in particular, appropriate to require further confirmatory information.

(11)

In accordance with Article 20(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, in conjunction with Article 13(4) thereof, the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 should be amended accordingly.

(12)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/549 (6) extended the expiry date of thifensulfuron-methyl until 30 June 2017 in order to allow the renewal process to be completed before the expiry of the approval of that substance. However, given that a decision on renewal has been taken ahead of this extended expiry date, this Regulation should apply from 1 November 2016.

(13)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,