The latest EU report on pesticide residues in food

Pursuant to Article 32 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) must draw up an annual report assessing the pesticide residue levels in foods on the European market, based on the information provided by the Member States.

This annual report must include the following information: (i) an analysis of the results of the controls provided for in Regulation (EC) No 396/2005; (ii) a statement of the possible reasons why the Maximum Residues Levels (MRLs) were exceeded, together with any appropriate observations regarding risk management options; (iii) an analysis of chronic and acute risks to the health of consumers from pesticide residues; and (iv) an assessment of consumer exposure to pesticide residues and any other relevant available information.

Last May 14, 2025, the EFSA published the 2023 EU report on pesticide residues as required by Article 32 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. The main findings identified in this report are the following:

• EU-coordinated control programme (EU MACP): EFSA analysed the results of 13,246 random samples from 12 of the most consumed food products in the EU (carrots, cauliflowers, kiwi fruits (green, red and yellow), onions, oranges, pears, potatoes, dried beans, brown rice, rye, bovine liver and poultry fat).
  
  99% were found to be compliant with EU legislation. 70% were free of quantifiable levels of residues, while 28% contained one or more residues within legal limits. MRLs were exceeded in 2% of samples, of which 1% were non-compliant after taking into account the measurement uncertainty.
  
  
• Multiannual National Control Programme (MANCP), which gathers data from targeted sampling, based on the level of risk. 98% of the samples were compliant with EU legislation. 58% samples did not contain quantifiable residues, while 38.3% contained residues within legal limits and 3.7% exceeded the MRL, of which 2% were non-compliant.
  
  
• Dietary risk assessment. EFSA concludes that there is a low risk to consumer health from the estimated exposure to pesticide residues in the foods tested.

In comparison with the EFSA report on pesticides residues in food published last year, we can conclude the following:

• EU-coordinated control programme (EU MACP): a higher percentage of samples have been found to be compliant with EU legislation (98.4% last year vs. 99% this year).
  
  
• Multiannual National Control Programme (MANCP): a higher percentage of samples (98%) have also been found to be compliant with EU legislation. The compliance rates for the previous two years analyzed (2021 and 2022) were 97.5% and 97.8%, respectively.

Summit package EU-UK

The EU and the UK agree to work towards a Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement.

In the UK-EU summit held last May 19, 2025, the UK and the EU agreed to further explore a potential bilateral cooperation on different areas.

Regarding plant health, it must be highlighted that the UK and the European Commission wish to work towards establishing a Common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area by way of an EU-UK Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement in respect of Great Britain ("SPS Agreement").

As a result of the SPS Agreement, most of the movements of animals, animal products, plants, and plant products between Great Britain and the EU would not be subject to the certificates or controls that are currently required for such movements. The SPS Agreement should cover sanitary, phytosanitary, food safety and general consumer protection rules applicable to the production, distribution and consumption of agrifood products, the regulation of live animals and pesticides, the rules on organics as well as marketing standards applicable to certain sectors or products.

The SPS Agreement should ensure that the same rules are applied at all times. In this regard, the UK would be required to dynamically align to the relevant EU rules.

It is agreed that the UK should be entitled to take targeted action to protect its biosecurity and public health, in the same way as Member States under EU law. The SPS Agreement should include exceptions, provided that these (i) do not lead to lower standards as compared to EU rules; (ii) do not negatively affect EU animals and goods being placed on the market in the UK; and (iii) respect the principle that only animals and goods compliant with EU rules move into the EU.

Although the information published so far does not contain specific details on how the SPS Agreement will impact on the plant health sector, this instrument can be understood as a reinforcement of the bilateral cooperation between the UK and the EU, which will predictably increase the movements and activity of operators in the sector.

Coordinated multiannual control programme of the UE for 2026, 2027 and 2028

This programme will ensure compliance with MRLs of pesticides and assess the consumer exposure to pesticide residues.

Last May 8, 2025, a new Regulation on a coordinated MRLs multiannual control programme of the UE for 2026, 2027 and 2028 was published in the Official Journal of the EU (OJEU) —Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/854, of May 7, concerning a coordinated multiannual control programme of the Union for 2026, 2027 and 2028 to ensure compliance with maximum residue levels of pesticides and to assess the consumer exposure to pesticide residues in and on food of plant and animal origin and repealing Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/989)—.

Pursuant to this new Regulation, Member States shall, during years 2026, 2027 and 2028, take and analyze samples for the pesticides/product combinations set out in Annex I of such Regulation. The samples must be taken in accordance with the requirements established in Annex II of this Regulation. The analysis must include samples of foods intended for infants and young children and products originating from organic farming.

The results of the analysis of samples tested in 2026, 2027 and 2028 must be submitted to the Authorities by August 31, 2027, 2028 and 2029, respectively in electronic reporting format.

This Coordinated multiannual control programme was first established in 2008 by virtue of Commission Regulation (EC) 1213/2008 and has continued to this day under consecutive regulations.