The Commission recently presented the legislative package known as the Food & Feed Omnibus, an initiative that includes amendments to the regulation governing maximum pesticide residue levels in food, currently regulated by Regulation (EC) No 396/2005.
One of the most relevant changes concerns the introduction of what is known as the “technical zero” for residues of certain substances that are not authorised in the EU and are considered particularly concerning. In practice, this refers to the lowest level that laboratories can reliably detect.
This means that if a substance is banned in the European Union for health or environmental reasons, the presence of residues in imported products could be limited to the minimum detectable level.
According to Unión de Uniones, the proposal would enhance food safety controls on imported products inspected at EU borders. However, the organisation insists that products from third countries wishing to access the EU market must comply with the same production standards required of European farmers.
RELATED NEWS: The European Commission revises residue limits for three key crop protection substances
While EU farms must comply with increasingly strict rules on health, environmental protection and food safety, agricultural products produced with plant protection substances banned in the EU continue to enter the European market from third countries.
This situation creates a double challenge. On the one hand, it represents unfair competition for European producers, who must operate with fewer tools and higher production costs. On the other hand, it generates regulatory inconsistency, as substances considered too dangerous for European farmers and consumers may still enter the EU market through imported products.
For years, the sector has warned that the European market cannot continue operating at two different speeds: one for EU producers, subject to increasingly strict restrictions, and another for imported products competing on the same retail shelves.
At the same time, Unión de Uniones considers it essential to increase border inspection rates to 50%, strengthen control systems both at EU borders and in countries of origin, and require certification confirming the use of active substances during production.
