New EU measures impacting aubergines (eggplant), Capsicum and yardlong beans

​In November, the EU Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed approved amendments to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793. As a reminder, this is the regulation on the temporary increase of official controls and emergency measures at EU border control posts where there is a food safety risk or evidence of widespread serious non-compliance with EU legislation.

All of the new amendments are due to the detection of pesticide residues.

The new measures are specified in a draft Regulation and its Annex which will enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the EU. This is expected soon, so the regulation will most likely enter into force at the start of 2022.

The new measures will be challenging for the countries affected, particularly where listings are being transferred from Annex I to Annex II. In this case, consignments of affected produce will only be authorised to enter the EU after they have been tested for pesticide residues, and when they are accompanied by an official certificate with the sampling/analytical results. This new requirement will be applied from 20 days after the Regulation enters into force.

Temporary increases of official controls and emergency measures under Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 have direct and important implications. They place additional demands on competent authorities in the exporting countries as well as resulting in significantly increased costs, often borne by the private sector operators.

For more information on the specific impacts on exports from the Dominican Republic, see the COLEACP Caribbean website.

For more information on the specific impacts on exports from Uganda, see the COLEACP Uganda country website.

This communication has been prepared and is being issued by the Fit For Market SPS programme, a COLEACP programme funded by the European Union as part of its Development cooperation with the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).