- 22/12/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
As part of its commitment to a fairer, more competitive, and attractive EU farming sector—aligned with the EU Vision for Agriculture and Food for 2025–2029—the European Commission intends to intensify official controls on food imports from non-EU countries. The focus will be on food safety, pesticide use, and animal welfare.
Already, the 2026 EU audit work programme reveals that 51% of the 159 planned agri-food chain controls will target non-EU countries exporting to the EU, against 33% in 2025.
In addition, following the “Implementation Dialogue on Import Controls” held on 9 December 2025, in a press release, the Commission announced a series of new measures:
- 50% increase in audits of non-EU countries over the next two years, while maintaining current control levels within the EU.
- 33% more audits of European Border Control Posts to ensure Member States comply with EU inspection requirements.
- Enhanced monitoring of non-compliant commodities and countries, with checks scaled up as needed.
- Support and training for Member States, including a dedicated EU program to train around 500 national authority staff on official controls.
- Stricter rules on imports of products containing traces of pesticides banned in the EU, in line with updated international standards.
New task force for efficient import controls
In early 2026, a dedicated EU Task Force will be launched to make import controls more efficient, consider the announced measures and coordinate EU-wide monitoring of specific imported products. The task force’s progress will be monitored by COLEAD, with any new requirements published on the AGRINFO platform.
This activity is supported by the AGRINFO programme, implemented by COLEAD and funded by the European Union (EU). This publication receives financial support from the European Union. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
