Upcoming EU regulatory changes and opportunities for feedback: Quarterly report

Update

For some new policies and laws, the European Union (EU) gives the opportunity to all stakeholders (including from non-EU countries) to provide their input and feedback. For more information on the EU consultation process, see How to provide feedback on upcoming EU policies and regulations – explained. The upcoming initiatives so far announced for 2025 are listed here. Live consultations are tracked on AGRINFO’s Ongoing Consultations webpage.

Background

The European Commission will be collecting feedback on the new agri-food policies and regulations listed below.

Once consultations are launched, all stakeholders (competent authorities, trade associations, individual exporters) may provide direct feedback via the EU’s Have your say webpages specific to each proposed law.

Participating in this process is important, and helps to ensure that the interests of low- and middle-income countries are taken into account when new policies or regulations are developed by the EU.

These consultations are part of the Commission’s commitment to greater regulatory transparency and are carried out in line with its Better Regulation Guidelines – guidance for preparing new initiatives and proposals, or for managing and evaluating existing legislation.

Impacted Products

Fish, olive oil, animal products, plant-based food, food supplements, fortified foods, food contact materials

Upcoming opportunities to give feedback

Stakeholders can provide input to public consultations or give feedback on draft proposals for the following.

Fish

Rules for fishery products frozen in brine on board vessels and for unpurified bivalve molluscs – Delegated Regulation

Aim: Establish strict freezing procedures on board vessels for fish frozen in brine to allow delivery to the final consumer (and to fish processors).

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon, adoption of the Regulation expected in first quarter of 2026.

Sustainable imports of fishery products under the EU Autonomous Tariff Quota Regulation

Aim: Conduct an impact assessment on how to make Autonomous Tariff Quotas (ATQs) more sustainable, and how to evaluate the functioning of the ATQ regime. (An ATQ allows a certain quantity of a product to be imported into the EU at a reduced tariff rate.) Feedback to a Call for Evidence (now closed) is available to view.

Timeline: Public consultation expected in first quarter of 2025, adoption of the Regulation expected in first quarter of 2026.

Managing fisheries – updated rules (technical measures) – Implementing Regulation

Aim: Establish detailed provisions on several aspects directly related to technical measures – rules governing how, where, and when fishers may fish. It includes provisions on:

• selectivity devices to reduce unwanted catches
• control and monitoring of certain areas and specific fishing gear.

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon, adoption of the Regulation expected in third quarter of 2025.

EU-Mauritius fisheries agreement – negotiation mandate for a new protocol

Aim: Negotiate a new protocol and continue the EU–Mauritius Fisheries Partnership Agreement that allows EU vessels to fish in Mauritius’ waters, and the EU to support the country’s sustainable fisheries policy. The current protocol expires in December 2026.

Timeline: Call for evidence expected soon, adoption of the new Protocol expected in third quarter of 2025.

Food safety

Vitamins and minerals added to food (minimum and maximum levels) – Regulation

Aim: Set maximum levels for vitamins and minerals that may be added to food supplements and fortified foods; and set minimum levels for food supplements.

Timeline: This initiative has been delayed, update expected soon.

Fruit and vegetables

Reviewing sectoral rules and modernising certain market-monitoring rules and mechanisms – Delegated and Implementing Regulations

Aim: Review and codify sectoral rules covering fruit and vegetables, and streamline certain market monitoring rules and mechanisms.

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon.

Marketing standards – addition of cider, perry and dried pulses to list of products – Delegated Regulation

Aim: Add marketing standards for cider, perry, and dried pulses that lay down conditions of production in order to take account of consumer demands and facilitate trade relations.

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon.

Animal products

Animal welfare – verifying compliance with EU welfare rules (detailed requirements) – Implementing Regulation

Aim: Reinforce controls of EU animal welfare rules during official meat inspections in slaughterhouses, such as monitoring the condition of pigs’ tails and broilers’ feet as indicators of on-farm animal welfare. Update of rules on health markings and the on-farm slaughter of animals including cattle, pigs, and ostriches.

Timeline: Public consultation delayed, adoption postponed to second quarter of 2026.

Products of animal origin – update of lists of products and their CN codes subject to official controls at borders – Implementing Regulation

Aim: Amend the list of products of animal origin subject to official controls at border control posts, including their codes from the Combined Nomenclature (CN).

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon, adoption of the Regulation expected in second quarter of 2025.

Residues

Pesticide residues in food – methods for sampling and analysis (update) – Regulation

Aim: Update pesticide maximum residue levels (MRLs) – methods for sampling and analysis: a new Implementing Regulation will replace Directive 2002/63/EC.

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon, adoption of the Regulation expected in first quarter of 2025.

Organic production

Organic and in-conversion products – import controls and certificates of inspection (revision) – Implementing Regulation and Delegated Regulation

Aim: Revise the rules on EU import controls and inspection certificates for organic and in-conversion products that are not yet certified under EU organic legislation.

Timeline: Public consultations expected soon, adoption of the Regulations expected in second quarter of 2025.

Organic insects – detailed production methods (new rules) – Delegated Regulation

Aim: Set detailed rules for the organic production of insects (except bees) used in feed or food, including where insects should come from, how they should be fed, and how they should be kept and killed.

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon.

Pesticides

Plant protection – additional unacceptable co-formulants in Annex III to the Plant Protection Products Regulation – Regulation

Aim: List substances that are unacceptable co-formulants in Annex III to Regulation 1107/2009 on the sale, use, and control of plant protection products in the EU (according to criteria established in Regulation 2023/574).

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon, adoption of the Regulation expected in third quarter of 2025.

Safeners and synergists – listing for assessment in the review work programme – Implementing Act

Aim: List the safeners and synergists existing on the market before the 19 December 2025 deadline. It will amend Regulation 2024/1487, Annex I.

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon, adoption of the Regulation expected in fourth quarter of 2025.

Environment

Rules on single-use plastics and fishing gear (evaluation) – Report

Aim: Evaluate impacts of the 2019 Single-Use Directive, informing any possible future updates or amendments.

Timeline: Public consultation planned for fourth quarter of 2025, report expected in second quarter of 2027.

Towards a Circular, Regenerative and Competitive Bioeconomy – Communication

Aim: Offer solutions for a circular and climate-neutral economy, boosting the EU’s prosperity and competitiveness within planetary boundaries. It will support citizens, regions, and key economic sectors (including agriculture, forestry, fisheries, biomanufacturing, and biotechnologies industries and services) to make the best and most sustainable use of biomass, and to keep materials and products in the economy for as long as possible.

Timeline: Public consultation expected in first quarter of 2025, communication expected in fourth quarter of 2025.

Packaging and Packaging Waste – exemptions from the reuse obligations for plastic wrappings and straps – Delegated Decision

Aim: Establish exemptions from reuse obligations for plastic wrappings and straps within the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon, adoption of the decision expected in fourth quarter of 2025.

Trade

EU-Ukraine trade – further reciprocal tariff liberalisation under Art. 29 of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement – Proposal for a decision

Aim: Propose a decision that would accelerate and broaden the elimination of customs duties under the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Feedback to a Call for Evidence (now closed) is available to view, and further consultation is planned for 2025.

Timeline: Proposal for a decision expected in first quarter of 2025.

EU-Moldova trade – further reciprocal tariff liberalisation under Article 147 of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement – Proposal for a decision

Aim: Propose further liberalisation of trade in goods with Moldova under the EU-Moldova Association Agreement. Feedback to a Call for Evidence (now closed) is available to view, and further consultation is planned for 2025.

Timeline: Proposal for a decision expected in first quarter of 2025.

Modification of the management of two tariff rate quotas for the import of poultry from Brazil – Implementing Regulation

Aim: Change the management of two tariff rate quotas for the import of poultry products from Brazil.

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon, adoption of the Regulation expected in fourth quarter of 2025.

Biocidal products

Biocidal products – renewing authorisations of products subject to mutual recognition – Delegated Regulation

Aim: Clarify the scope of application of Regulation 492/2014 (regarding which authorisations can be renewed in a group application, amendment of renewal procedures/timelines).

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon, adoption of the Regulation expected in third quarter of 2025.

Biocides – Review Programme Regulation on existing biocidal active substances (update) – Delegated Regulation

Aim: Update Regulation 1062/2014, including rules governing the review programme of existing active substances under Regulation 528/2012. The main aim is to speed up progress in completing the review of biocides.

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon, adoption of the Regulation expected in third quarter of 2025.

Food safety – rules on same biocidal products (SBPs) (update) – Implementing Regulation

Aim: Update rules for the authorisation of SBPs in Regulation 414/2013 to clarify their definition, their interaction with Regulation 354/2013, and the procedure to renew, amend, or cancel authorisations. (“Same biocidal products” are biocidal products identical to another biocidal product/family, except for administrative aspects.)

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon, adoption of the Regulation expected in fourth quarter of 2025.

Biocidal Products Regulation – Evaluation

Aim: Evaluate whether Regulation 528/2012 has achieved its objectives to improve the functioning of the internal market for biocidal products and ensure a high level of protection of human/animal health and of the environment, and identify areas for improvement.

Timeline: Public consultation expected in fourth quarter of 2025, adoption of the Report expected in second quarter of 2026.

Several initiatives announced in the Farm to Fork Strategy (such as sustainable food systems, labelling, animal welfare, etc.) were planned but have been delayed (see Overview: EU Farm to Fork and Green Deal Initiatives).

Recommended Actions

Keep track of the “Have your say” timelines listed in this record, which the EU updates on a regular basis. AGRINFO provides an up-to-date list of Ongoing Consultations relevant to the agri-food sector.

If there are currently problems in accessing the EU market due to the rules referred to in the areas above, these consultations offer an opportunity to highlight existing issues. Input into consultations is always best supported by relevant supporting information and data, so it is important to start collecting information at an early stage in anticipation of a consultation.

Resources

European Commission: Better Regulation: why and how

Sources