Amendments to the technical regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union (Customs Union) on food safety, oil and fat products, milk and dairy products, meat and meat products, fish and fish products, poultry meat and its processed products, adopted by Decision No. 70 of the Eurasian Economic Commission's Council dated June 23, 2023, will come into effect on July 10. They establish maximum permissible levels of residual content of veterinary drugs (pharmacologically active substances and their metabolites) in food products of animal origin.
The amendments determine the maximum permissible quantitative residue levels for 75 veterinary medicines (pharmacologically active substances and their metabolites) in both unprocessed and processed foodstuffs of animal origin registered in the countries of the Union. In addition, there are requirements for the control of residues of veterinary products not named in the technical regulation and (or) not registered in the territories of Member States, which is especially relevant for imported products.
"As a result of the implementation of the adopted amendments, safety of food products put into circulation on the customs territory of the Union will increase. This will also help resolve the problem of different interpretation of control results concerning residual veterinary medicine content in foodstuffs of animal origin," emphasized EEC Minister Valentin Tataritsky.
In order to gradually prepare manufacturers, persons authorized by manufacturers and sellers (suppliers) of foodstuffs of animal origin to comply with the new requirements, the Board of the Commission established a transition period in February this year.
Within 18 months from the enactment date of the amendments to the technical regulations of the Customs Union "On Food Safety" and other technical regulations of the EAEU (Customs Union) on certain types of foodstuffs adopted by Council Decision No. 70, i.e. until January 10, 2026, their production and release in accordance with the mandatory requirements previously established by the said technical regulations are allowed in the Union. Along with that, such products can circulate in the EAEU market during their shelf life established by the manufacturer.
Also, in order to implement the above Decision of the EEC Council, on June 25 this year the Commission's Board amended the list of standards for methods of studies (tests) and measurements to the Union's technical regulation "On Food Safety". The respective amendments will come into effect concurrently with Decision No. 70 of the Commission's Council dated June 23, 2023, i.e. since July 10, 2024.
