Chlormequat in oats 30 mg/kg instead of 15 mg/kg, metalaxyl-M in honey 0.1 mg/kg and an import tolerance for trifloxystrobin in linseed of 0.4 mg/kg — Regulation (EU) 2026/140
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/140 of 22 January 2026, published on 23 January, amends the MRLs for acequinocyl, chlormequat, metalaxyl-M, pyraclostrobin, sulfoxaflor and trifloxystrobin in selected products at applicants’ request, at the levels recommended by EFSA. It enters into force on the twentieth day after publication.
- Chlormequat in oats: the temporary MRL in Part A of Annex III is now 30 mg/kg. According to the EFSA opinion (EFSA Journal 2025;23(4):e9385), Taminco applied in Austria; the evaluating Member State proposed raising it from 15 to 40 mg/kg, and EFSA derived 30 mg/kg from residue trials for the northern EU zone.
- EFSA reports enforcement methods for chlormequat in oats and animal matrices with an LOQ of 0.01 mg/kg. Livestock feeding studies indicate that lower MRLs would suffice for most animal matrices — these reductions were later introduced by Regulation (EU) 2026/1314.
- Metalaxyl and metalaxyl-M in honey and other apiculture products: 0.1 mg/kg. Trifloxystrobin in linseed: 0.4 mg/kg as an import tolerance based on use in Canada; new trifloxystrobin MRLs were also set for olives, celery, globe artichokes, leeks and seed spices, among others.
- For trifloxystrobin in herbal infusions from flowers and from leaves, EFSA considered a risk unlikely although two residue trials did not fully meet the independence criterion; since they were carried out at different times and places, the Commission treated them as independent as a risk management decision. Other changes: acequinocyl in strawberries, pyraclostrobin in sweet corn, sulfoxaflor in salad leaves and herbs.