On September 30, the Council of the European Union adopted its negotiating position on the remaining part of the “Omnibus X” simplification package on food and feed safety. The package aims to reduce administrative costs and burdens while keeping the EU’s high standards for food and feed safety, and for the protection of human and animal health and environmental protection. The mandate covers the regulation on maximum residue levels (MRLs), the regulation on plant protection products and the biocidal products regulation, among others.
For traders, the most significant change concerns MRLs. The Council’s negotiating position maintains the European Commission’s proposal to lower MRLs the limit of quantification for certain pesticides that can no longer be used in the EU because they are considered particularly hazardous. According to the Council, the aim is to stop allowing imports of products containing residues of these substances, both to protect human health and the environment and to protect the competitiveness of EU producers.
The scope of the final text, including the list of substances affected and the transition periods, will depend on negotiations with the European Parliament. The Irish presidency of the Council aims to reach agreement with the Parliament by the end of the year.
