EU Health and food audits and analysis programme 2025

European Commission: Health and food audits and analysis programme – July to December 2025

Update

The European Commission conducts regular "controls" (audits and remote assessments) of European Union (EU) Member States and non-EU countries to ensure the highest standards of food safety and regulatory compliance of goods put on the EU market.

This AGRINFO report highlights audits planned for July to December 2025 in non-EU countries, including Albania, Argentina, Brazil, China, Egypt, Libya, Montenegro, Morocco, Türkiye, and Ukraine. Remote assessments using questionnaires will take place for a few additional countries (yet to be confirmed).

Impacted Products

All

What is changing?

The European Commission performs "controls" (audits and remote assessments) of EU Member States and non-EU countries to ensure they have systems in place to guarantee that food put on the EU market meets EU rules for food safety and plant and animal health. Originally, 209 audits were planned in the agri-food chain, 38% of these in non-EU countries wishing to export, or already exporting, to the EU (European Commission 2025).

The Commission has now updated the planned audits for the second half of 2005 to reflect new priorities.

Planned audits July to December 2025

The following audits of non-EU countries are planned for the second half of 2025, each focusing on specific sectors/topics:

• Argentina: poultry meat safety for human consumption
• Brazil: microbiological safety (plant origin) and residues (animal origin)
• China: poultry and rabbit meat safety
• Egypt: pesticide residues in foods of plant origin
• Libya: safety of fishery products
• Morocco: residue control in food of animal origin
• Montenegro: import controls pre-accession to the EU
• Albania: general assessment pre-accession to the EU
• Türkiye: pesticide residues in food of non-animal origin
• Ukraine: residues and contaminants in foods of animal origin.

How are audits conducted?

An audit typically involves two auditors. They first send pre-audit questionnaires to the competent authorities and analyse the responses. The audit team then meets with national, regional, and local authorities, as well as carrying out visits to relevant sites to see how the competent authority controls are implemented. The Commission issues a report after each audit, which may include recommendations to the competent authority to address any systemic or significant non-compliances that have been identified.

Remote assessments

Between July and December remote assessments of fishery products are planned for five non-EU countries with small exports to the EU (countries to be confirmed).

How are remote assessments conducted?

Desk-based audits, called “remote assessments”, are based on comprehensive questionnaires. These remote assessments check that official controls carried out by the competent authorities of listed non-EU countries are appropriate to verify the compliance of exported animals and foods with EU requirements. They also check whether the authorities reliably certify compliance with those requirements when signing official certificates.

All residue control plans of non-EU countries must be checked at least once every 5 years. The current 5-year cycle ends in 2025, so non-EU countries that have not yet been checked can expect remote assessments this year.

Why?

Control systems in EU Member States, and in non-EU countries, are continually monitored to guarantee effective enforcement of EU food safety and plant and animal health requirements. The original programme (European Commission 2025) has been updated to take into account priorities that emerged in the first 6 months of 2025. Some controls that were originally planned have been postponed to 2026, and some countries that were “to be confirmed” in the original list are named in this update.

Timeline

This list of audits covers the period July–December 2025.

What are the major implications for exporting countries?

A negative outcome of an audit or remote assessment performed by the European Commission in a non-EU country may result in measures to protect European consumers and/or EU animal and plant health, and to encourage competent authorities and food business operators to implement any necessary corrective measures quickly. Such measures can have an impact on trade, for example, increased checks at EU borders and, as a last resort, suspension of imports. Audits and assessments can also determine whether a country is permitted to begin or continue exporting animal products to the EU.

Recommended Actions

EU audits are greatly facilitated when exporting countries provide comprehensive responses to questionnaires (including for remote assessments), and when they prepare for an audit with detailed and organised records. This involves documenting all procedures, controls, and corrective actions that are taken to align with EU requirements. EU auditors require accessible evidence of system improvements, training logs, health and safety checks, and traceability systems. Conducting regular internal reviews and updating compliance strategies helps to demonstrate ongoing adherence to EU requirements.

Background

Article 120 of Regulation 2017/625 allows the European Commission to perform audits and remote assessments in non-EU countries (see Official Controls Regulation – explained). These play a central role in the decision on whether or not to include a non-EU country in the list of countries permitted to export animals and animal products to the EU. The audits and assessments also allow the EU to check the systems in place in non-EU countries that export food, feed, animals, or plants to the EU.

The Commission targets countries according to the level of risk associated with their exports; this considers the volume of exports, non-compliant consignments identified at EU points of entry, and higher levels of risk associated with particular types of food, feed, animals, or plants.

These audits are also opportunities to foster international cooperation, share best practice, and encourage continuous improvement in global food safety standards.

Resources

Sources