In a written answer on 22 June 2026, Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, on behalf of the European Commission, defended Ukraine's compliance with EU food safety regulations, stating that current non-compliance levels do not warrant increased physical checks or a reconsideration of Ukraine's listing under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2598. The response addresses concerns raised by Dutch MEP Sander Smit (ECR) in a parliamentary question submitted on 9 April 2026, following seven RASFF notifications in the second half of 2025 regarding prohibited veterinary medicine residues in Ukrainian eggs, as well as earlier salmonella cases.
The Commission acknowledged the seriousness of the findings but noted that Ukraine has been responsive, providing detailed information published in the RASFF system. Under Regulation (EU) 2019/2129, increased minimum frequency rates for physical checks are triggered only when non-compliance exceeds the average rate for all third countries by 30% — a threshold not currently met for any Ukrainian goods. Between 2025 and 2026, intensified official controls (IOC) were triggered five times on Ukrainian eggs, milk, and dairy products due to illegal antimicrobials, leading to 61 reinforced controls and one confirmed non-compliant case of nitrofurans in eggs.
The Commission clarified that the non-compliant findings fall outside the scope of Implementing Regulation 2024/2598, which lists third countries authorised to export animal products to the EU based on guarantees that antimicrobials for growth promotion or reserved for human infections are not used. Therefore, Ukraine's listing remains valid for egg exports. The answer signals no immediate policy change, though the Commission continues to monitor the situation closely. Institutional follow-up may include further RASFF notifications or IOC triggers if non-compliance persists, but no timeline for a formal review was provided.