The Council of the European Union has adopted its negotiating position calling for maximum residue levels of certain hazardous pesticides in imported food and feed to be lowered to the limit of quantification — known as technical zero — pending an impact assessment. The mandate, part of the Omnibus X food and feed safety package, expands coverage to substances posing risks to honeybees or groundwater, but the rules are not yet in force and require the European Parliament to adopt its own position before negotiations can begin.
Uzbekistan's Senate has approved a new Food Safety Law introducing risk-based state control, clearer responsibilities for food businesses, and expanded powers for the Food Safety Committee. The legislation, passed at the Senate's 20th plenary session, is designed to align the country's food safety framework with international practices and WTO requirements.
The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine has announced a package of process reforms to its animal Food Additive Petition and GRAS Notification review programs following a two-year evaluation, promising faster timelines, greater transparency, and more flexible data requirements for ingredient submitters.
Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has approved three new unified import document forms covering live animals, animal products, and non-animal feed, replacing a 2018 regulation and aligning border control procedures with European Union standards under the IMSOC framework.
