In a written answer on 3 July 2026, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Olivér Várhelyi outlined a series of measures to tighten controls on imports of processed fruit, vegetables and tomato products, responding to concerns from European processors about unfair competition from non-EU producers not bound by the same standards. The answer, to a question by Greek MEP Konstantinos Arvanitis (The Left), signals the Commission's intention to strengthen border and laboratory checks, revise the framework for official controls on food of non-animal origin, and pursue greater equivalence of production standards for imported goods.
Várhelyi confirmed that the Commission is working to prevent the most hazardous pesticides banned in the EU from re-entering through imported products. The Joint Research Centre has begun a study to feed into an impact assessment, and the Commission has proposed, in the Food and Feed Simplification Package, the possibility to lower Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for the most hazardous non-approved substances on a case-by-case basis, pending further impact assessments. The answer also references the Vision for Agriculture and Food, under which the Commission pursues stronger alignment of production standards for imports, and notes that audits are carried out in Member States and third countries to ensure compliance.
a study by the Joint Research Centre, a proposed legal mechanism to lower MRLs, and a commitment to strengthen import controls. However, it does not provide a timeline for the impact assessment or specify which products or countries would be subject to enhanced surveillance. The policy orientation is towards tighter regulation and greater protection for EU producers, but the pace of implementation remains unclear. Institutional follow-up is expected once the impact assessment is completed, likely leading to legislative proposals or amendments to existing regulations such as Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 on temporary import measures.
EU fruit and vegetable processors would benefit from reduced unfair competition and potentially higher consumer trust, but could face higher costs if stricter controls slow imports. Non-EU producers would face higher compliance costs to meet EU standards, potentially reducing their market access. EU consumers would gain from safer products and lower pesticide residues, but may see higher prices for processed fruit and vegetables. EU regulatory bodies would need to allocate resources for additional audits and laboratory capacity, with a moderate increase in administrative burden.