Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, in a written answer on 3 July 2026, told MEP Galato Alexandraki (ECR) that an audit of Greece's import control system is planned for late 2026, which will include checks on high-risk imported fruit and vegetables. However, he stopped short of committing to a specific priority list for Greek entry points or to coordinated EU monitoring for banned pesticide residues in produce entering via Greece, instead pointing to existing risk-based frameworks.
The answer responds to a parliamentary question from Alexandraki, who pressed the Commission on whether it would prioritise Greek border posts and high-risk categories of fruit and vegetables in its 2026-2027 checks, organise coordinated monitoring for banned substances, and take interim measures to protect Greek producers from unfair competition while legislative changes are pending.
Várhelyi reiterated that all food imports must comply with EU safety rules under Regulation (EU) 2017/625, and that Member States carry out risk-based official controls. Where risks are identified, the Commission can impose measures via Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793. The Commissioner noted that the Task Force on Import Controls, launched in January 2026, has identified pesticide control as a priority focus area. However, the EU's coordinated multiannual control programme, designed by the European Food Safety Authority, covers 36 products that form the major components of European diets but does not single out Greece or banned substances exclusively. Member States tailor their own sampling programmes based on trade significance, historical non-compliance, and pesticide usage patterns.
The answer contains no new concrete proposals, numerical targets, or deadlines beyond the planned audit. It reaffirms existing mechanisms rather than announcing additional measures for Greece. The policy orientation remains one of relying on existing risk-based frameworks and the general work of the Task Force, rather than creating country-specific or substance-specific prioritisation. Institutional follow-up is limited to the late-2026 audit in Greece, with no timeline for legislative changes or interim measures.
Greek fruit and vegetable producers may face continued competitive pressure from imports that could contain residues of banned substances, as no special interim measures were announced. EU consumers benefit from the existing risk-based control system, but the lack of targeted monitoring for banned substances may leave gaps. The Commission maintains its current regulatory approach without additional burdens on Member States. Importers from third countries face no new restrictions beyond existing rules.