New residue controls in animal foods: what changes in 2026

Key data

Companies in the meat, dairy and aquaculture sectors have a new residue control framework to manage from 27 March 2026. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/731 amends Regulation (EU) 2021/808 — the rule governing analytical methods for detecting residues of pharmacological substances in live animals and products of animal origin — in two specific areas: transitional provisions and technical aspects of sampling.

The change is not cosmetic. It directly affects national residue monitoring plans and, therefore, the controls applied to products that companies buy, process and export. Those who do not have this under control assume a real risk of batch rejection.

What does this regulation establish?

Regulation 2026/731 introduces two types of amendments to Regulation (EU) 2021/808:

The purpose of the original regulation — Regulation 2021/808 — is to establish analytical methods for the detection of residues of pharmacological substances in live animals and in products of animal origin. The changes now introduced affect how samples are taken and the deadlines that laboratories and authorities have to operate under the new standards.

In practice, this means that national residue monitoring plans — which determine what is analysed, how and how often — must be updated to reflect the new sampling criteria.

Economic and operational impact

The impact is not measured in a direct fee or fine, but in operational and commercial risk. The specific scenarios generated by this regulation are:

• Batch rejection: If official controls apply the new sampling criteria and products do not pass the analyses under the new methods, batches may be rejected. This implies a direct loss of the batch value, waste management costs and possible contractual penalties with clients.
• Trade restrictions: Non-compliance with the new criteria may result in restrictions on marketing products, both in the European internal market and in exports.
• Export risk: Exporters to third countries that require equivalence with European residue control standards are the most exposed group. If national monitoring plans are not adapted, export certificates may be compromised.
• Adaptation costs for laboratories: Official control laboratories must adapt their analytical methods. The adjusted transitional provisions give them additional time, but that time has a limit and adaptation has a cost.

Who is affected?

• Livestock producers: Their animals are the direct subject of residue controls for pharmacological substances. The new sampling criteria may change the frequency or type of controls to which they are subject.
• Meat industry: Must ensure that its livestock suppliers and official controls on its products comply with the new criteria. The risk of batch rejection directly affects its supply chain.
• Dairy sector: Dairy products of animal origin are included in the scope of the amended Regulation 2021/808. Same exposure to the risk of batch rejection.
• Aquaculture sector: Aquaculture products are also subject to controls on residues of pharmacological substances under this regulation.
• Official control laboratories: Must adapt their analytical methods to the new requirements. The amended transitional provisions give them more time, but adaptation is mandatory.
• Veterinary authorities: Responsible for national residue monitoring plans, which must be updated to reflect the new sampling criteria.
• Exporters to third countries: Particularly exposed if their destination markets require equivalence with European residue control standards.

Practical example

A Spanish meat company that exports products to an Asian market requiring certification of equivalence with European residue control standards finds itself in the following situation:

Its products undergo official controls in Spain under the national residue monitoring plan. If that plan has not been updated to reflect the new sampling criteria of Regulation 2026/731, the analyses may not be aligned with the current European standards. When the destination country requests documentation certifying equivalence, the company may find that certificates issued under the old plan are not accepted.

The practical result: a batch held at customs, storage costs, possible return or destruction of the product, and reputational damage with the client. All of this avoidable if the company had verified, from 27 March 2026, that the official controls to which it is subject already apply the new criteria.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify the status of the national residue monitoring plan: Contact the competent authority (in Spain, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food or the corresponding regional authority) to confirm whether the national plan has already been updated with the new sampling criteria of Regulation 2026/731.
2. Audit the supplier chain: Meat, dairy and aquaculture companies must review whether their livestock suppliers are being controlled under the new criteria. A non-compliant supplier is a direct risk for the buyer.
3. Review export contracts: Exporters to third countries must verify whether their contracts or export certifications reference residue control standards and whether those references remain valid under the new framework.
4. Coordinate with analysis laboratories: If the company works with its own or contracted laboratories for internal controls, verify that their analytical methods are aligned with the requirements of Regulation 2021/808 as amended.
5. Document the monitoring: Maintain a record of the verifications carried out and of communications with suppliers and authorities. In the event of an inspection or commercial dispute, this documentation is the first line of defence.

Official source

View full regulation at the official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, please consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=CELEX:32026R0731