EU enforcement method validation

From the analytical point of view there is no essential difference between drinking water and groundwater. Therefore, it is sufficient if the enforcement method is validated only for either drinking water or groundwater. The LOQ for drinking water/ groundwater must be <0.1 qgL (EU drinking water limit). 

Until 1991, manufacturers seeking authorizations for pesticides had to fulfil country-specific requirements of validation of enforcement methods. The term enforcement method means analytical methods which are developed for post-registration control and monitoring purposes. The harmonization of these requirements was initiated with the European Economic Community (EEC) Council Directive 91/414/EEC and temporarily finalized with the Guidance Document on Residue Analytical Methods SANCO/825/00 rev. 6, dated 20 June 2000 [Santd et Protection des Consommateurs (SANCO)]. The evaluation of validation studies by the competent authority is conducted by comparison of these European Union (EU) requirements with the study results and most often without any practical experience of the method. Some details of this evaluation are discussed below. 

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