According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, EFSA has reviewed the maximum residue levels (MRLs) currently established at European level for the pesticide active substance clethodim. To assess the occurrence of clethodim residues in plants, processed commodities, rotational crops and livestock, EFSA considered the conclusions derived in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC, the MRLs established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and European authorisations reported by Member States (including the supporting residues data). Based on the assessment of the available data, MRL could not be proposed because an overall consumer risk assessment could not be finalised. Risk managers should be made aware that the genotoxic potential of the clethodim metabolite 3‐chloroallyl alcohol, the aglycon of 3‐chlorolallyl alcohol glucoside (M14A/M15A) could not be concluded and no toxicological reference values could be derived for this metabolite. Until a conclusion on the toxicological properties of the metabolite is reached, a decision on the residue definition for risk assessment cannot be made which is a prerequisite to perform a reliable dietary risk assessment.