Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/748 of 31 March 2026 concerning a coordinated multiannual control programme of the Union for 2027, 2028 and 2029 to ensure compliance with maximum residue levels of pesticides and to assess the consumer exposure to pesticide residues in and on food of plant and animal origin, and repealing Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/854

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 February 2005 on maximum residue levels of pesticides in or on food and feed of plant and animal origin and amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC⁽¹⁾, and in particular Article 29(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1213/2008⁽²⁾ established the first coordinated multiannual Community control programme, covering the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. That programme has continued under consecutive regulations, of which the latest one is Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/854⁽³⁾.

(2) 30 to 40 products constitute the major components of people’s diet in the Union. Since pesticide uses show significant changes over a period of three years, pesticide residues need to be monitored in those products over a series of three-year cycles to allow the assessment of both consumer exposure and application of Union legislation.

(3) The European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) published a scientific report on the design assessment of the pesticide monitoring programme⁽⁴⁾. It concluded that a maximum residue level exceedance rate above 1 % could be estimated with a margin of error of 0,75 % by selecting 683 sample units for a minimum of 32 different products. Collection of those samples should be apportioned among Member States in relation to population figures, with a minimum of 12 samples per product and per year.

(4) Analytical results from the previous Union official control programmes have been taken into account to ensure that the range of pesticides covered by the control programme is representative of the pesticides used.

(5) In order to enable the Authority to have comparable results, it is necessary to ensure a harmonised submission of information by Member States concerning the results of pesticide residues analysis. Therefore, for reporting such results, Member States should use the Standard Sample Description version 2⁽⁵⁾ and the Chemical Monitoring Reporting Guideline⁽⁶⁾.

(6) For the sampling procedures, Commission Directive 2002/63/EC⁽⁷⁾, which incorporates the sampling methods and procedures recommended by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, should apply.

(7) In line with the Commission’s Working document on the summing up of limits of quantifications (LOQs) in case of complex residue definitions⁽⁸⁾, where the residue definition of a pesticide includes other active substances, metabolites and/or breakdown or reaction products, those compounds should be reported separately as far as they are measured individually.

(8) It is necessary to assess whether the maximum residue levels for food for infants and young children are complied with as provided for in Commission Delegated Regulations (EU) 2016/127⁽⁹⁾ and (EU) 2016/128⁽¹⁰⁾ and Commission Directive 2006/125/EC⁽¹¹⁾.

(9) Since not all Member States may have the required validated single residue analytical methods, Member States should be allowed to meet their obligations of analysis by transmitting samples to official laboratories already having the required validated methods.

(10) In order to allow the Authority to timely evaluate and compile the reported results, Member States should submit by 31 August of each year the information concerning the previous calendar year.

(11) In order to ensure clarity as regards the applicable multiannual programme, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/854 should be repealed. It should, however, continue to apply to samples taken in 2026.

(12) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: