EU: Webinar and Updated Guide on Mineral Oil Hydrocarbons (MOSH/MOAH)
In late June, COLEAD/AGRINFO held a webinar to discuss the new rules that the EU is expected to introduce in the coming years to limit the presence of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOSH/MOAH) in food. Presenters provided information about current EU rules on MOSH/MOAH, future MLs under discussion, and the expected next steps. They also outlined steps that food sectors can take to prepare for future MLs, including practical mitigation strategies and analytical challenges. A recording of the webinar is available here.
Also in June, COLEAD/AGRINFO updated its guide Mineral Oil Hydrocarbon in Foods: An Introduction to Upcoming EU Regulation to reflect the current state of play in EU regulatory discussions.
According to this guide, the EU intends to set MLs for MOAH at the limits of quantification (LOQs) according to the fat/oil content as set out in the following table:
| LOQs of MOAH according to fat/oil content of the food | |
| Fat/oil content of food (%) | LOQ (mg/kg) |
| ≤4 | 0.5 |
| >4, ≤50 | 1 |
| >50 | 2 |
While these provisional levels may change, they provide an indication to the sectors concerned of the EU’s overall intentions.
According to the guide, the EU is not currently considering establishing MLs for MOSH.
EU: Plant Protection Products Update
The EU has launched a public consultation on a draft implementing regulation on the methods of sampling and analysis for the control of pesticide residues in and on food and feed of plant and animal origin. The aim of the initiative is to update the current methods for sampling and analyzing plant and animal products to determine their compliance with maximum residue levels for pesticides. The implementing regulation will incorporate the existing rules set out in Directive 2002/63/EC and repeal that Directive. The feedback deadline is July 30, 2025.
The Commission has notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of a corrigendum to the changes in the MRLs for ethephon that were initially notified in December 2024. Under the corrected text, the proposed MRL for ethephon in all tree nuts except hazelnuts and walnuts is lowered from 0.1 mg/kg to the limit of quantification of 0.02 mg/kg.
Japan: Plant Protection Products Update
Japan has notified the World Trade Organization of the adoption of the following maximum residue levels (MRLs) in or on nuts and dried fruits:
| Substance | Commodity | MRL (ppm) |
| Quinofumelin(1) | Apricot | 4 |
| Quinofumelin(1) | Japanese plum (including prune) | 1 |
| Fluopyram(2) | Apricot | 1 |
| Fluopyram(2) | Japanese plum (including prune) | 0.5 |
| Fluopyram(2) | Cranberry | – |
| Fluopyram(2) | Pecan | 0.04 |
| Fluopyram(2) | Almond | 0.04 |
| Fluopyram(2) | Walnut | 0.04 |
| Fluopyram(2) | Other nuts (all nuts except ginkgo nut, chestnut, pecan, almond, and walnut) | 0.04 |
| Fluopyram(3) | Raisin | 5 |
| Cartap, thiocyclam, and bensultap(4) | Japanese plum (including prune) | 0.5 |
(1) Effective as of February 10, 2025. More information
(2) Effective as of February 27, 2026. More information
(3) Effective as of February 27, 2025. More information
(4) Effective as of February 27, 2025. More information
Thailand: Measures to Address Aflatoxins in Imported Peanut Kernels
Thailand has notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of an announcement on sanitary and phytosanitary measures to address aflatoxins in imported peanut kernels. The announcement, which came into force on June 18, 2025, sets out three levels of inspection measures for imported peanut kernels, namely: 1) Monitoring Inspection; 2) Enhanced Monitoring Inspection; and 3) 100% Order Inspection. An unofficial translation of the announcement is available here.
Türkiye: New 30% Ochratoxin A Controls and Increased Aflatoxin Controls in Dried Figs Entering the EU
The EU has published Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1441, which concerns the temporary increase of official controls and emergency measures governing the entry into the Union of certain goods from certain third countries. This regulation updates Annex II of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, which envisaged 20% checks for aflatoxins in dried figs from Türkiye. The new regulation includes both aflatoxins and ochratoxin A as hazards of concern, establishing a 30% frequency of identity and physical checks on consignments of Turkish dried figs entering the Union. It will enter into force on August 12, 2025.
However, with regard to ochratoxin A checks, the European Commission has informed FRUCOM that it will allow EU member states to apply a two-month transition period from the date of entry into force of the new implementing regulation, providing that the consignments are accompanied by the results of laboratory analyses and the official certificate relating to aflatoxins only (and therefore not to ochratoxin A).
Ukraine: Draft Resolution on Resuming Implementation of Phytosanitary Measures
In 2022, Ukraine temporarily simplified its phytosanitary control procedures in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion. Among other measures, mandatory sampling and phytosanitary examination for HS commodity groups 07-12 was suspended in the course of phytosanitary control of imports of regulated goods.
In July 2025, Ukraine notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of a draft resolution to resume the implementation of phytosanitary measures and procedures in accordance with the regular phytosanitary regulatory framework.
USA: EU Reduces Import Inspections on US Almonds
According to the Almond Board of California, during a Standing Committee meeting in Brussels in June, Member States agreed with the European Commission’s statement that US almond shipments under the Pre-Export Check (PEC) program should return to <1% import inspection. US almond shipments arriving in the EU under the PEC program had been subject to higher inspection rate as a result of higher import rejections in 2023.
USA: Comments Submitted to WTO on EU Pesticide Policies
On July 4, 2025, the US submitted three statements to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on topics related to EU pesticide policies.
In the first statement, on the EU’s non-renewal of thiacloprid, the US expresses concerns that consideration of the hazard-based cutoff criteria is not an appropriate justification for the reduction of MRLs for thiacloprid and encourages the EU to revert to the originally proposed, science-based MRLs.
In the second statement, which refers to EU legislation on endocrine disruptors, the US urges the European Commission to provide scientific justification for its MRL reductions based on specific health risks to consumers, not merely on the identification of potential hazards.
The third statement refers to EU MRLs for alpha-cypermethrin, buprofezin, chlorothalonil, chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, cypermethrin, diflubenzuron, ethoxysulfuron, glufosinate, imazalil, ioxynil, iprodione, mancozeb, molinate, picoxystrobin, and tepraloxydim. The statement expresses concerns about the EU’s pesticide approval and renewal decisions and the systemic barriers to trade that result from the subsequent withdrawal or reduction of pesticide MRLs to the limit of quantification or the lower limit of determination without a completed risk assessment.