Food News

The European Commission has published a statement announcing stricter requirements and more frequent checks on imported products, particularly with regard to animal welfare and pesticides.

The aim is to ensure that the most dangerous pesticides, which are banned in the EU for health and environmental reasons, do not re-enter the EU via imported products. This is intended to prevent competitive disadvantages for farmers in the EU and for the agricultural and food sector. At the same time, it aims to meet consumer expectations. Existing EU legislation protects consumers and ensures that all food placed on the market meets high health and safety standards. However, the Commission remains committed to greater harmonisation of production standards for imported products. This is intended to ensure a level playing field for EU farmers and producers and to maintain consumer protection, which remains important in the context of concluded and planned free trade agreements. As part of the proposal for a simplification package in the area of food safety presented on 16th December 2025, the Commission has proposed amending the current legislation to allow maximum residue limits (MRLs) of zero to be set for substances not authorised in the Union that possess certain particularly hazardous properties, provided this is deemed appropriate following the results of an impact assessment.

This is unlikely to be meant literally. Anyone involved in analytical work knows that one cannot measure ‘zero’. For every method, there are exactly two limit values: the limit of quantification (LOQ) and the limit of detection (LOD). Measurements >= LOQ can be quantified with a statistically defined measurement uncertainty. Measurements lying between the LOQ and the LOD can only be interpreted qualitatively. And anything lying between the LOD and “zero” can no longer be detected analytically and is designated as “not detectable”. With regard to import controls, the Commission announced in December 2025 that it would intensify and improve the controls carried out directly on-site in all third countries. This also applies to food imports from Mercosur countries. The Commission plans to increase controls on agricultural products and foodstuffs from countries outside the EU by 50% within the next two years. In addition, monitoring of goods and countries that do not meet the standards is to be stepped up. The frequency of checks is to be adjusted accordingly. The level of checks will also be increased, particularly at the main border entry points, but also within the Member States through the support of national supervisory authorities.

What does this mean for food businesses in Europe?

Firstly, more frequent and thorough checks on goods should mean that potential risks in the supply chain become apparent more quickly. However, companies should not carelessly cut back on their own risk-based control plans. Even with increased inspection frequency by the authorities, this does not mean that all gaps in the system can be effectively closed. Experience shows that, even in the future, there will still be numerous loopholes in complex supply chains that can be exploited by criminal elements.

YOUR PLUS: With AGROLAB, you have a competent laboratory partner at your side. We will continue to do everything analytically possible to protect the quality of your raw materials and products from unauthorised tampering and contamination.

Author: Dr Frank Mörsberger, AGROLAB GROUP