Commissioner Várhelyi, in a written answer on 9 July 2026, defended the Food and Feed Safety Omnibus proposal, arguing that the current level of protection for human and animal health and the environment will be maintained and can be expected to increase. The answer responds to a question from Renew MEP Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, who had pressed the Commission on the scientific basis for its claim of increased protection and on how it reconciles this with earlier statements that it cannot pre-empt conclusions on health and environmental impacts. Várhelyi pointed to the Staff Working Document accompanying the package, which states that a more agile approach for selecting substances for renewal or targeted reassessment will accelerate the uptake of new scientific knowledge and allow faster responses to emerging issues. He also noted that the current system suffers from substantial delays in renewal procedures, which postpone necessary regulatory action. The Commissioner added that accelerating market access for biocontrol-based plant protection products is expected to replace chemical active substances, improving sustainability and reducing risks.
The answer contains no new concrete proposals or numerical targets, instead reiterating the rationale already set out in the Commission's earlier documents. The proposal aims to reduce administrative burdens, streamline procedures, and allow Member States to reallocate resources from renewal procedures to assessing innovative solutions, in line with a recommendation from a Dutch parliamentary assessment commission. The expected improvements depend on the outcome of negotiations between co-legislators and subsequent implementation, leaving the final impact uncertain. Stakeholders such as EU farmers and agrochemical companies face potential changes in product availability and regulatory costs, while environmental and consumer groups may see benefits from faster phase-out of hazardous substances but also risks if streamlined procedures reduce scientific scrutiny.