Notifications for European Union (1104 notifications)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 lays down uniform practical arrangements for the performance of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption. The draft proposes more risk-based post-mortem arrangements in slaughterhouses, amends the health mark, introduces verification of food chain information in case of ungulates and ratites slaughtered outside the slaughterhouse and aligns references to animal health law.

The proposal notified in G/SPS/N/EU/694 (16 November 2023) is now adopted by Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/3115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 as regards multiannual survey programmes, notifications concerning the presence of regulated non-quarantine pests, temporary derogations from import prohibitions and special import requirements and establishment of procedures for granting them, temporary import requirements for high-risk plants, plant products and other objects, the establishment of procedures for the listing of high-risk plants, the content of phytosanitary certificates and the use of plant passports, and as regards certain reporting requirements for demarcated areas and surveys of pests and amending Regulation (EU) 2017/625 as regards certain notifications of non-compliance.This Regulation enters into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. However, the obligation for non-EU trading partners to specify under the heading “Additional Declaration”of the phytosanitary certificate the full wording of the specific requirement for regulated non-quarantine pests (RNQPs) that is fulfilled, applies from 6 July 2026ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:As a follow-up to the amendment of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council on protective measures against pests, by Regulation (EU) 2024/3115, the European Commission invites all non-EU trading countries to consider the following when trading with the EU:From 6 July 2026 onwards, non-EU trading partners are requested to specify in full wording under the heading ‘Additional Declaration’ of the phytosanitary certificate, which of the measures prescribed in Annex V of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 have been applied for compliance with an RNQP, when in that Annex different options are applicable. This obligation applies for each category of plants for planting when different categories are applicable. Before the entry into application of this requirement, The European Union will amend Annex V of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072, to facilitate the implementation of the provision by adjusting the wording and complementing the options (e.g. country freedom, pest free area etc.). The European Union will inform its non-EU trading partners when the amendment of Annex V will enter into force. The non-EU trading partners are advised to wait until after the amendment of Annex V of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 enters into force, to adjust their databases. However, any consignment of plants which falls within the scope of Annex IV of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072, arriving to the European Union from 6 July 2026 onwards should be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate which fulfils the requirement of an additional declaration regarding the measures for RNQPs.

The proposed draft Regulation concerns the review of existing MRLs for chlorpropham, fuberidazole, ipconazole, methoxyfenozide, S-metolachlor and triflusulfuron in certain food commodities following the non-approval of fuberidazole, ipconazole, s-metolachlor and triflusulfuronmethyl in the European Union; the non-availability of confirmatory data of methoxyfenozide required by Regulation (EU) 2023/1069 for aubergines/eggplants; and the monitoring data collected for chlorpropham requested by Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/155. MRLs for these substances in certain commodities are lowered. Lower MRLs are set after deleting old uses which are not authorised any more in the European Union. The draft Regulation also proposes some product-specific LOQ adaptions in line with technical progress.

The proposed draft Regulation concerns the review of existing MRLs for dimoxystrobin, ethephon and propamocarb in certain food commodities. MRLs for these substances in certain commodities are lowered. Lower MRLs are set after deleting old uses which are not authorised any more in the European Union or where European Food Safety Authority in its opinion could not exclude the risk for consumers.

The proposal notified in G/SPS/N/EU/798 (9 October 2024) is now adopted by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2970 of 29 November 2024 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 as regards measures to prevent the presence of the Tomato brown rugose fruit virus on plants for planting of Solanum lycopersicum L. and hybrids thereof and of Capsicum annuum L., and establishing the frequency rates of official controls.The Regulation shall apply from 1 January 2025. Article 2 shall apply until 31 December 2026.

The proposal notified in G/SPS/N/EU/764 (17 May 2024) is now adopted by Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2895 of 20 November 2024 amending Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 as regards Listeria monocytogenes (Text with EEA relevance).The Regulation shall apply from 1 July 2026.

Regulation (EU) 2019/1871 establishes reference points for action (RPA) for certain non-allowed pharmacologically active substances present in food of animal origin.The illegal treatment of food by nitrofurans and their metabolites results in findings of several metabolites present in one sample. Based on the available information, the presence of the nitrofuran metabolite semicarbazide (SEM) in certain processed products (gelatine, collagen hydrolysate, hydrolysed cartilage products, spray dried blood products, whey and milk protein concentrates, caseinates and milk powder) may arise during processing from naturally occurring compounds and is not related to an illegal treatment by nitrofurans. These foods, with the exception of infant formulae and follow-on formulae, are therefore exempted from the application of the RPA to findings where only SEM is present in these processed products. If other nitrofuran metabolites would be present in the sample, together with SEM, the exemption would not be applicable. Evidence has been provided that SEM is also formed during the production of collagen, therefore collagen is added to the exempted products.

The proposal notified in G/SPS/N/EU/761 (3 May 2024) is now adopted by Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2856 of 12 November 2024 amending Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the removal of the flavouring substance Benzene-1,2-diol (FL No. 04.029) from the Union list (Text with EEA relevance).This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The substance covered by the Act was authorized as feed additive for all animal species. An application was submitted for the reauthorization of this substance in accordance with article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. Further to the positive assessment by the European Food Safety Authority, this substance is reauthorized as feed additive for all animal species, in the category ‘sensory additives’ and the functional group ‘flavouring compounds’, under certain conditions. A transitional period is included for the interested parties to meet the new authorization’s requirements.

The proposal notified in G/SPS/N/EU/763 (8 May 2024) is now adopted by Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2711 of 22 October 2024 amending Annexes II and V to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for thiacloprid in or on certain products (Text with EEA relevance).The Regulation shall apply from 12 May 2025.

G/SPS/N/EU/798 contains an error. In Item 6, “Regulation (EU) 2022/1032” should read “Regulation (EU)2023/1032”.

The proposal notified in G/SPS/N/EU/698 (24 November 2023) is now adopted by Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2619 of 8 October 2024 amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for fosetyl, potassium phosphonates and disodium phosphonate in or on certain products (Text with EEA relevance).Some changes were made to correct clerical mistakes to the MRLs for durians and parsnips, as the LOQ for durians was incorrect (2* mg/kg instead of 1.5* mg/kg) and the MRL value proposed by EFSA for parsnips (6 mg/kg) which was missing.The Regulation shall apply from 29 April 2025.

The proposal notified in G/SPS/N/EU/773 (20 June 2024) is now adopted by Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2597 of 4 October 2024 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the use of sorbic acid (E 200) and potassium sorbate (E 202) and the Annex to Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 as regards the specifications for sorbic acid (E 200), potassium sorbate (E 202) and propyl gallate (E 310) (Text with EEA relevance).This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Points (1)(b), (2)(b) and (3) of Annex II shall apply from 27 April 2025.

The proposal notified in G/SPS/N/EU/701 (12 December 2023) is now adopted by Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2640 of 9 October 2024 amending and correcting Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene, difluoroacetic acid (DFA), fluopyram and flupyradifurone in or on certain products (Text with EEA relevance).The Regulation shall apply from 30 April 2025.

The proposal notified in G/SPS/N/EU/715 (1 February 2024) is now adopted by Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2609 of 7 October 2024 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for napropamide, pyridaben and tebufenpyrad in or on certain products (Text with EEA relevance).The Regulation shall apply from 28 April 2025.

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus is currently regulated under Regulation (EU) 2022/1032 which provides for temporary measures to prevent its introduction into and its spread within the Union. Based on recent scientific and technical data, ToBRFV complies now with the criteria for EU regulated non-quarantine pests. Therefore, new measures to prevent the presence of the virus on plants for planting (including seeds), and frequency rates of official controls are being established.

The proposal notified in G/SPS/N/EU/778 (28 June 2024) is now adopted by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2598 of 4 October 2024 laying down the list of third countries or regions thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of certain animals and products of animal origin intended for human consumption in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the application of the prohibition on the use of certain antimicrobial medicinal products (Text with EEA relevance).This Regulation shall apply from 3 September 2026.

After the first year of implementation of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1644, certain criteria are not feasible to be fulfilled and therefore they have been modified. This is the case for certain mandatory frequency of sampling as regards the prescribed combinations of substance groups and commodity groups. This delegated Regulation removes the mandatory frequency of samples for these combinations.

The proposal notified in G/SPS/N/EU/779 (28 June 2024) is now adopted by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2507 of 26 September 2024 amending and correcting Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1201 as regards measures to prevent the introduction into and spread within the Union of Xylella fastidiosa (Wells et al.) and amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1770 as regards the list of plant species not exempted from the traceability code requirement for plant passports.This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Article 1, point 15, points 17(b) and 18(c), and Article 3 shall apply from 1 July 2025.

After the first year of implementation of the new practical arrangements for the performance of official controls on the use of pharmacologically active substances authorized as veterinary medicinal products or as feed additives and of prohibited or unauthorized pharmacologically active substances and residues thereof (Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1646) it appears that certain mandatory sampling frequencies for certain combinations of substance subgroups (plant protection products and biocides) and commodity groups  can also be controlled under the framework for control plans on pesticide residues. To avoid double sampling/reporting, member States can choose under which framework (pesticide residues or residues of veterinary medicinal products) they will take samples. Therefore, this implementing Regulation the mandatory sampling frequency requirement (currently 5% of the total samples) under the residues of veterinary medicinal product control plan for these substance groups is replaced by a mandatory sampling without fixed percentage. In addition, a few other non-substantial changes will be made to improve the clarity of the Regulation.