The European Commission has reported that it used 12 of the 38 delegated powers conferred under the Official Controls Regulation (EU) 2017/625 between 16 June 2021 and 15 June 2026, adopting 27 delegated acts without objection from the European Parliament or the Council. The report, published on 9 July 2026, covers the exercise of these powers over the five-year period and notes that the delegation of power is tacitly extended for further five-year periods unless either institution opposes the extension at least three months before the end of each period.
The 27 delegated acts adopted cover a range of areas, including the designation of EU reference laboratories for Rift Valley fever and food improvement agents; rules on official controls for pesticide residues, contaminants, pharmacologically active substances, and animal welfare during transport; import requirements for food-producing animals and goods; exemptions from border control post checks for low-risk goods, organic products, composite products, and passengers' personal luggage; and corrections to language versions of the regulation.
Of the 38 delegated powers, 26 were not used during the reporting period but the Commission considers them necessary for future needs. These unused empowerments include rules on operator exemptions, specific control requirements, reference laboratory designation, border control post checks, and transit derogations. The Commission notified each delegated act to the European Parliament and the Council, and neither institution raised objections to any of the 27 acts adopted.
The report fulfils the Commission's obligation under Article 144 of the Official Controls Regulation to report on the exercise of delegated powers. The regulation, which entered into force in 2017, aims to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health, and plant protection products. The Commission's active use of delegated powers without institutional pushback indicates a smooth functioning of the delegation framework, though the 26 unused empowerments remain available for potential future regulatory needs.