EU to Step Up Global Food Safety Checks in 2026

The Commission’s 2026 programme sets 159 controls, mainly audits, with a stronger focus on non EU exporters

12 Feb 2026

The European Commission is sharpening its watch over the food chain in 2026, setting out plans for 159 health and food safety controls across Europe and beyond.

Published on 13 November 2025, the new Health and Food Audits and Analysis Programme lays out a year of inspections focused largely on audits. These checks span food and feed safety, animal and plant health, and the systems national authorities use to enforce EU rules.

The headline shift is geographic. More than half of the planned controls will take place outside the EU, in countries that export food, animals, or plant products to the bloc. That marks a stronger emphasis on non EU partners than in 2025 and reflects how global the European dinner table has become.

From fruit and vegetables to meat and animal feed, imports are a routine part of daily life. The Commission wants to be sure that what enters the single market meets the same standards required at home.

The audits examine how national authorities manage risks, respond to outbreaks of animal or plant disease, and verify that businesses comply with EU law. When gaps are found, Brussels can issue recommendations and push for corrective action.

The programme covers EU Member States, candidate countries, and third countries that export to the bloc. It operates under the EU’s official controls framework, the legal backbone meant to protect public health and maintain trust in the food system.

No new laws are introduced here. Instead, the focus is on enforcement. Are the rules applied consistently? Are imports checked properly? Are risks identified early?

Audit reports are published, offering a window into how well the system works and where it falls short.

With 159 controls on the calendar and a clear tilt toward overseas exporters, the Commission is sending a signal. In a tightly linked global market, food safety does not stop at the EU’s borders.