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. Upcoming (expected) consultations so far announced for 2025 are listed here. For live consultations, see AGRINFO’s Ongoing Consultations webpage.

Background

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

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 will be able to provide input to public consultations or give feedback on draft proposals for the following.

Fruit and vegetables

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. Adoption expected in fourth 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.

Pesticides

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 open until 30 July 2025, adoption of Regulation expected in third quarter of 2025.

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 Regulation expected in third 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 Regulation expected in third quarter of 2025.

Biocidal products – rules on changes to their authorisations – Implementing Regulation

Aim: Update provisions in the light of experience of operating the procedures, to provide clarity on procedural questions, and to ensure alignment with other Delegated and Implementing Regulations.

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon, adoption of Regulation expected in fourth 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 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 “same biocidal products” 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 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 first quarter of 2027.

Plant health

Importation of plants and plant products – temporary derogation procedure – Delegated Regulation

Aim: Adopt rules on the procedure to follow when the European Commission adopts temporary derogations (exceptions) from the prohibition on introducing certain plants and plant products into the EU (Regulation 2016/2031, Art. 40(1)); and on special and equivalent requirements regarding the content, submission, and assessment of the non-EU country’s technical dossier (Art. 41(2)).

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

Procedure for listing high-risk plants, plant products and other objects – Delegated Regulation

Aim: Clearly outline the procedure for listing plants, plant products, or other objects as high-risk plants, to ensure transparency and consistency for Member States, non-EU countries, and the professional operators concerned.

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

Plant passports – exceptions and rules for attachment to the trade unit of particular plants – Implementing Regulation

Aim: Detail the cases and rules when plant passports do not need to be attached to the trade unit of particular plants, plant products, or other objects due to their size, shape, or other specific characteristics.

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

Plant passport requirement – exemption for final users receiving via distance contracts – Implementing Regulation

Aim: Regulation 2016/2031 on protective measures against pests of plants requires a plant passport for the movement of plants and plant products if they are supplied directly to a final user through a distance contract. This Regulation will set out the cases where this plant passport requirement does not apply to particular plants or plant products.

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

Fish

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 selection devices to reduce unwanted catches; and on the control and monitoring of certain areas and specific fishing gear.

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

Veterinary medicines – List of substances which may be used in food-producing aquatic species – Implementing Regulation

Aim: Draw up a list of substances contained either in veterinary medicines authorised in the EU for food-producing animals, or in medicines authorised in the EU for human use which may be administered to food-producing aquatic species when there are no medicines authorised for such species or those authorised are not available.

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

Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing – identification of non-cooperating non-EU countries – Implementing Decision

Aim: Identify non-EU countries that the Commission considers to be non-cooperating countries in fighting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing (Regulation 1005/2008, Art. 31).

Timeline: Public consultation expected soon, adoption of 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 enables 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 new Protocol expected in third quarter of 2025.

Other 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 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.

On-farm animal welfare for certain animals: modernisation of EU legislation – Proposal for a Regulation

Aim: Revise EU rules on animal welfare on farms, taking into account the latest scientific evidence, stakeholder feedback, assessment of economic and social impacts, and societal demand. Stronger alignment of animal welfare production standards applied to imported products, in line with international rules.

Timeline: Public consultation closed on 16 July 2025 (see On-farm animal welfare: Review of EU laws).

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 Regulation expected in second quarter of 2025.

Emergency slaughtering requirements – update – Delegated Regulation

Aim: Provide a clearer and broader interpretation of the rules on emergency slaughtering outside the slaughterhouse. Takes the form of a draft Commission Delegated Regulation amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) 853/2004.

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

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 Regulations expected in fourth 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, adoption of Regulation expected in fourth quarter of 2025.

Organic production – cleaning & disinfection products (criteria & conditions), hydrolates and magnesium chloride – Delegated Regulation; and Organic production – amended list of products and substances authorised for use in organic production processes – Implementing Regulation

Aim: Reflect the new production needs of the organic food sector and ensure that production standards are aligned across the EU by introducing specific criteria for the authorisation of products and substances to be used in products for cleaning and disinfection; adding hydrolates to the list of products; and allowing the use of magnesium chloride in processed food as a non-organic salt.

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

Import of non-EU countries’ organic products compliant with EU rules: list of recognised control authorities and bodies – Implementing Regulation

Aim: Establish a new list of control authorities and control bodies that are recognised to certify operators and groups of operators in non-EU countries for the purpose of importing organic products into the EU, in line with the new EU laws on organics currently in force.

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

Biotech Act – Proposal for a Regulation

Aim: Create an enabling environment to accelerate the transition of biotech products from laboratory to factory and to the market, while maintaining the highest safety standards to protect the population and environment.

Timeline: Public consultation 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 Decision expected in fourth quarter of 2025.

Single-use plastic beverage bottles – EU rules for calculating, verifying and reporting on recycled plastic content – Implementing Decision

Aim: Lay down common rules for calculating, verifying, and reporting on recycled plastic content in single-use plastic beverage bottles.

Timeline: Public consultation open until 19 August 2025.

Roadmap towards Nature Credits – Communication

Aim: Complement different sources of nature finance such as public funding by supporting the development of high integrity tools – "nature credits" – that will turn investment in nature into a reliable engine of value creation.

Timeline: Public consultation open until 30 September 2025.

Trade

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

Aim: 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 soon.

EU–Moldova trade – further reciprocal tariff liberalisation under Art. 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 soon.

Poultry imports from Brazil – changes to the management of two tariff rate quotas – 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 Regulation expected in fourth quarter of 2025.

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. Also monitor the AGRINFO list of Ongoing Consultations, which gives an up-to-date list of live consultations relevant to the agri-food sector.

These consultations are particularly important where rules may affect access to the EU market. Feedback can be more effective if it is accompanied by relevant supporting information and data; when a consultation is highlighted here as upcoming, this is the opportunity to start collecting any information that may be needed.

Resources

European Commission: Better Regulation: why and how

Sources