Unharmonised rules for importing food samples into the European Union are creating uncertainty and supply-chain delays, placing laboratories and the wider food industry at a competitive disadvantage.
TIC Council, together with FoodDrinkEurope, The Grain and Feed Trade Association, FOSFA International, European Fruit Juice Association, APROLAB, the Association Nationale des Industries Alimentaires and the German Independent Laboratories Association has formally called on Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi and Sandra Gallina, Director-General of DG SANTE, to address these concerns through the upcoming Food Omnibus initiative.
Across Europe, fragmented national rules and inconsistent border controls are causing frequent delays or blockages of food samples intended for laboratory testing. These disruptions especially affect perishable goods, which in many cases must be discarded when held at borders. As highlighted in the joint letter, laboratories operating across multiple Member States face significant operational unpredictability, and some have already shifted parts of their activities outside the EU to avoid these inconsistencies. This weakens Europe’s testing ecosystem and adds strain to supply chains that depend on timely and reliable analysis.
The coalition urges the European Commission to seize the opportunity of the Food Omnibus to introduce a harmonised exemption system for the import of food samples for testing. Under the current model, laboratories must request separate exemptions from each Member State for each product category, with annual renewals and varying national requirements. This administrative burden, sometimes influenced by discretionary decisions, generates inefficiency and legal uncertainty.
In their proposal, the signatories advocate for a streamlined EU-wide exemption applicable to accredited laboratories importing food samples that do not enter the food chain and are destroyed after analysis. Laboratories meeting strict accreditation, traceability and inspection criteria would qualify automatically, aligning the system with the approach already applied to laboratories performing official controls.
A unified exemption regime would reduce administrative burdens for authorities, laboratories, producers and importers. It would also increase regulatory efficiency, eliminate unnecessary complexity and reinforce the competitiveness of Europe’s food testing sector. This would bolster the functioning of the Single Market and support Europe’s continued leadership in safe, high-quality and innovative food production.
TIC Council and its industry partners stand ready to work with the European Commission to deliver a coherent, risk-proportionate and future-proof solution that safeguards consumer protection while ensuring Europe remains a global leader in efficient and competitive food testing.
Read the letter here.