Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/731of 27 March 2026amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/808 as regards its transitional provisions and certain provisions on sampling(Text with EEA relevance)

Article 6 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/808 is replaced by the following:

Article 6

Methods for sampling

Member States shall ensure that samples are taken, handled and labelled in accordance with the detailed methods for sampling laid down in Annex II to this Regulation.

The sampling of feed shall be carried out in accordance with the methods set out in Annex I to Commission Regulation (EC) No 152/2009 and in points 5, 6 and 7 of Annex II to this Regulation.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 152/2009 of 27 January 2009 laying down the methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of feed (OJ L 54, 26.2.2009, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/152/oj)..

Article 2

The second paragraph of Article 7 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/808 is replaced by the following:

However, until 31 December 2027, the requirements laid down in points 2 and 3 of Annex I to Decision 2002/657/EC shall continue to apply to methods, which have been validated before the date of entry into force of this Regulation..

Article 3

Point 1 (Sample quantity) of Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/808 is replaced by the following:

1. Sample quantity

The minimum sample quantities shall be defined in the national residue control programme. The minimum sample quantities shall be sufficient to enable the approved laboratories to carry out the analytical procedures necessary to complete the screening and the confirmatory analyses. Specifically for poultry, aquaculture, rabbits, farmed game, reptiles and insects, a sample consists out of one or more animals, depending on the requirements of the analytical methods. For eggs, the sample size is at least 12 eggs, according to the analytical methods used. However, the sample size for ostrich eggs is one egg. In case several substance categories need to be analysed in one sample with different analytical methods, the sample size shall be increased accordingly..

Article 4

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 27 March 2026.

For the Commission

The President

Ursula von der Leyen