New fungicide residue limits in food: what farmers and importers must do in 2026

Key data

Operators in the agri-food sector working with fruits, vegetables or cereals have a new compliance obligation: the MRLs of three widely used fungicides have just changed in the European Union. Regulation (EU) 2026/1546, published on 9 July 2026, amends Annexes II, III and V of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 and updates the permitted thresholds for benomyl, carbendazim and thiophanate-methyl.

Failing to comply with these new limits is not a theoretical risk: it means product withdrawal from the market and administrative sanctions. And the authorities have already announced that they will intensify sampling of the affected products.

What does this regulation establish?

Regulation (EU) 2026/1546 updates the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of three fungicides from the benzimidazole group in certain agricultural products. These fungicides are widely used in fruit, vegetable and cereal crops to combat fungal diseases.

The three active substances affected are:

• Benomyl: benzimidazole systemic fungicide, metabolic precursor of carbendazim.
• Carbendazim: one of the most historically used benzimidazole fungicides in Europe, with frequent residues in fruits and vegetables.
• Thiophanate-methyl: fungicide that is partially metabolized to carbendazim, so its residues are evaluated jointly.

The regulation specifically amends Annexes II, III and V of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, which is the European reference framework for pesticide MRLs in food and feed. Changes to these annexes mean updating the permitted thresholds in certain agricultural products, although the regulation does not publicly detail the exact numerical values of each MRL per product: that data is found in the full text of the regulation published in the EU Official Journal.

What is relevant for operators is that any product that at the time of commercialization exceeds the new established MRLs will be outside the law, regardless of whether it complied with the previous limits.

Economic and operational impact

The impact of this regulation materializes in three areas:

• Analysis and quality control costs: Operators will need to review and update their analytical control protocols to verify that their products comply with the new MRLs before commercialization. This may involve additional analysis in an accredited laboratory.
• Product withdrawal risk: Non-compliance with the new MRLs may result in product withdrawal from the European market, with the direct economic cost that entails (merchandise destruction, reverse logistics, loss of sales).
• Administrative sanctions: Non-compliance is subject to administrative sanctions, the amount of which depends on the national legislation of each Member State.
• Increased inspection pressure: Official control authorities will intensify sampling of the products flagged by this regulation, which increases the probability of being inspected and detected in case of non-compliance.

For importers, the risk is particularly high: if merchandise arrives at the European border without complying with the new MRLs, it may be rejected at the point of entry, with associated costs for storage, return or destruction.

Who does it affect?

• Farmers and agricultural cooperatives that apply benomyl, carbendazim or thiophanate-methyl in their fruit, vegetable or cereal crops destined for the European market.
• Agri-food industry that processes or packages plant products in which these fungicides may be present as residues.
• Importers of plant products from third countries that commercialize in the European market fruits, vegetables or cereals treated with these fungicides.
• European exporters that must guarantee compliance with MRLs both in the domestic market and in destinations that adopt European standards.
• Logistics operators and distributors that handle these products and may be affected by product holds or withdrawals.

Practical example

A Spanish importer bringing oranges from a third country treated with thiophanate-methyl must, before clearing the merchandise through customs, verify that the levels of thiophanate-methyl residues (and carbendazim, its metabolite) in that batch are below the new MRLs established in Regulation (EU) 2026/1546.

If the supplier of origin continues to apply the fungicide with the doses and safety periods previously used —which complied with the previous MRLs— but the new thresholds are stricter, the batch could be rejected at the border or withdrawn from the market. The importer should require its supplier an updated residue analysis in accordance with the new MRLs before each shipment, and review supply contracts to include this guarantee.

What should companies do now?

1. Consult the full text of Regulation (EU) 2026/1546 in the EU Official Journal to identify exactly which products and which MRL values have changed for benomyl, carbendazim and thiophanate-methyl.
2. Review production and quality control protocols to verify that products to be commercialized comply with the new thresholds before their release to the European market.
3. Request updated residue analyses from accredited laboratories for batches of affected products, especially if working with third country suppliers.
4. Update contracts with suppliers to include the obligation to comply with the new MRLs and require analytical certificates in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2026/1546.
5. Review the technical sheets of plant protection products used in own production and adjust doses, frequencies and safety periods if necessary to guarantee compliance with the new limits.
6. Inform the quality and regulatory compliance team about the changes, especially those responsible for import, production and analytical control.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202601546