- 12/06/2026
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
| Key points This news update is a review of changes that were made in 2025. European Union (EU) maximum residue levels (MRLs) were changed for 38 plant protection products (PPPs) in 2025, compared with 78 in 2024. These changes include cases where MRLs for certain foods have been raised or lowered. In Great Britain (GB) maximum residue level (MRL) changes concerned 42 plant protection products (PPPs) in 2025, compared with 33 in 2024. Note that EU MRLs still apply in Northern Ireland (GB covers only England, Scotland and Wales). How will ACP producers/exporters be affected? In export crops, meeting the MRLs of the destination market is critical to prevent interception and destruction of merchandise at the border. ACP growers and exporters need to remain up-to-date with regulatory changes to ensure they remain aligned. What should ACP producers/exporters do now? For each substance and crop concerned, the Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in place need to be verified and possibly adapted to ensure compliance with new MRLs. The GAPs include dose rate, number of applications, and pre-harvest interval. In some cases, adaptations to the GAPs will allow the new MRLs to be met. However, in many cases, especially where the level is reduced to the Limit of Determination (LoD), it may not be possible to meet the new MRL, and growers will have to look for alternative crop protection solutions. If you have any major concerns about these changes, and fear that you will be left without an effective and locally available alternative, please contact COLEAD at: network@colead.link. If you require more frequent updates on EU MRL changes, we invite you to visit our AGRINFO website and subscribe to the newsletter on EU regulations. |
In this news, ‘key active substances’ refers to those used/registered in one or more African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) country on horticultural crops that are frequently exported regionally or internationally. While COLEAD makes every effort to provide comprehensive information about relevant regulatory changes, it is possible that some plant protection products (PPPs) or crops relevant to you are not included in our list of key substances/crops. We recommend therefore that you check tables 2 and 4 which detail all the changes in the EU and GB in 2025, to make sure that you are aware of any other changes that could affect you.
Change to EU MRLs important for ACP horticulture
In 2025, maximum residue levels (MRLs) have been changed for 38 PPPs, including 22 used/registered in one or more ACP countries. Changes affecting ACP horticulture (41 crops) were identified, in particular involving the following 11 key substances:
- metalaxyl (applicable from 11 February 2025)
- lambda-cyhalothrin (applicable from 11 February 2025)
- flupyradifurone (applicable from 17 April 2025)
- potassium phosphonate– including fosetyl (applicable from 17 April 2025)
- cyantraniliprole (applicable from 6 July 2025)
- deltamethrin (applicable from 6 July 2025)
- oxathiapiprolin (applicable from 6 July 2025)
- azoxystrobin (applicable from 23 July 2025)
- zoxamide (applicable from 19 August 2025)
- acetamiprid (applicable from 19 August 2025)
- rapeseed oil (applicable from 28 December 2025)
Clicking on the active substance names will take you to the relevant AGRINFO records, where you will find more details on the changes and crops affected. Links to records are also provided in Tables 1 and 2.
Table 1 shows the list of MRL changes for these 11 substances, focusing on crops important to ACP horticulture.
As some of your PPPs or crops may not be included in our summary of key substances/crops, we recommend that you check also all EU MRL changes introduced in 2025 (see Table 2 below).
EU MRL changes introduced in 2025
Table 2 shows all MRL changes introduced in the EU in 2025. If you see any PPP that you use on crops for export to the EU, we recommend that you check the regulation itself using the link provided.
Changes to GB MRLs important for ACP horticulture
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published decisions concerning changes to 42 PPP MRLs in 2025, including 22 used/registered in one or more ACP countries. Changes particularly affecting ACP horticulture (55 crops) are identified, involving 18 key substances. Table 3 shows the MRL changes for these 18 substances, focusing on crops important to ACP horticulture.
It is possible that some of your PPPs or crops are not included in our summary of key substances/crops. Please see the summary of all GB MRL changes introduced in 2025 in Table 4.
GB MRL changes introduced in 2025
Table 4 shows all MRL changes in the GB in 2025. If you see any PPP that you use on crops for export to the GB, we recommend that you check the Regulation using the link provided.
If you require additional information, or face particular problems as a result of these changes, please contact COLEAD at: network@colead.link .
