EU to Dramatically Increase Food Import Controls from January

The European Commission announced today a reinforcement of controls on food, animal and plant products entering the EU, with measures taking effect from 1 January 2026 aimed at protecting consumers and ensuring fair competition for European farmers.

Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi revealed the measures following an Implementation Dialogue with agri-food stakeholders, including companies and NGOs, focusing on import controls.

The announcement responds to commitments made in the Vision for Agriculture and Food to significantly increase and strengthen controls, ensuring that products entering the EU meet the same strict standards required of European producers.

From January, the Commission will increase audits of non-EU countries by 50% over the next two years, whilst maintaining the level of control in EU countries. European Border Control Posts will see a 33% increase in audits to verify that member states are carrying out border inspections in line with EU requirements.

A dedicated EU Task Force will be established to make import controls more efficient, focusing particularly on pesticide residues, food and feed safety, and animal welfare. The taskforce will consider coordinated EU monitoring action on specific imported products.

The Commission will provide closer monitoring of non-compliant commodities and countries, with the frequency of checks increased as required. Support will be provided to member states carrying out these additional checks.

Around 500 national authority staff will receive training on official controls through a dedicated EU programme.

Updated rules on allowing imports of products with traces of particularly hazardous pesticides that are banned in the EU will be introduced, in line with recently updated international standards.

Várhelyi said:

"Protecting the safety of food consumed in the EU is one of my core responsibilities. This applies not only to products made within our Union but also to those we import. As the world's leading trader of food, the EU must ensure that any animal, plant or food product arriving from other countries meets our strict health and safety standards. Today's measures will further reinforce and modernise our already robust system of official controls, to the benefit of EU citizens, farmers and companies."

The measures aim to ensure EU citizens continue to benefit from the highest levels of food safety whilst creating a level playing field for EU producers against global competitors.

The EU has some of the strictest food safety, animal health and plant health rules in the world. Any live animals, food and feed, plants and plant products entering the Union must comply with EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary requirements and certain animal welfare requirements.

These requirements are non-negotiable and apply to all trade partners. Member states carry out checks at borders whilst the Commission audits third countries to ensure their production and control standards align with EU requirements.