Pesticide residue control programme 2026–2028: Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/824 corrects — fosetyl-Al is assessed against the phosphonic acid MRL, and the trimethylsulfonium cation in onions is tested already in 2026
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/824 of 14 April 2026, published on 15 April, corrects two substantive errors in Part C of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/854 — the multiannual coordinated EU control programme for 2026–2028, which sets the substances, commodities and number of samples to be analysed in each Member State.
- Fosetyl-Al: the programme did not take into account the residue definition introduced by Regulation (EU) 2024/2619. The remark for the entry now reads: “For the findings concerning fosetyl-Al, the MRL for its metabolite phosphonic acid applies”.
- Regulation (EU) 2024/2619, applicable from 29 April 2025, changed the enforcement residue definition for fosetyl, potassium phosphonates and disodium phosphonate from “fosetyl-Al (sum of fosetyl, phosphonic acid and their salts, expressed as fosetyl)” to “phosphonic acid and its salts, expressed as phosphonic acid” — all three substances break down to phosphonic acid.
- Trimethylsulfonium cation: onions had been wrongly assigned to 2027. After the correction it is tested in 2026 in oranges, pears, cauliflowers, onions, dry beans and brown rice; in 2027 in table grapes, bananas, grapefruits, aubergines, cultivated fungi and sweet peppers; in 2028 in apples, strawberries, peaches, head cabbages and oats.
- The Regulation enters into force on the twentieth day after publication. From 2027, programme 2025/854 is replaced by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/748 with the 2027–2029 programme, but Regulation 2025/854 continues to apply to samples taken in 2026 until 1 September 2027.