EU Pesticide MRLs: Regulation (EC) No 396/2005

The residue limits an EU importer screens every consignment against.

Food Safety

Instrument396/2005
Default limit where none is set0.01 mg/kg
How limits are structuredPer crop, per substance

Overview

Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 harmonises maximum residue levels (MRLs) of pesticides in food and feed across the European Union. MRLs are set per substance and per product in the regulation’s annexes; where no specific level is set, a default MRL of 0.01 mg/kg applies. The EU Pesticides Database is the official reference for checking the current level for each substance–product combination.

Compliance is a legal condition for placing food on the EU market, not a voluntary standard. Fresh and frozen berries are a sensitive category in EU monitoring programmes, and non-compliant lots can trigger withdrawal, recall and RASFF notifications, as well as border rejections for imports. For exporters, this makes pre-shipment residue testing of each production lot a core control, supported by farm-level records of plant protection product use.

A default applies where no limit is listed
Where a specific maximum residue level has not been set for a substance and crop combination, a low default value applies. That is what catches substances nobody thought to test for.
Limits move
The regulation is amended regularly. Quote the instrument in a specification and reference the version in force at delivery rather than pasting a number.
The importer carries the exposure
A non-compliant consignment is the importer's problem at the border, whatever the contract says. That is why buyers screen before shipment, not after arrival.

Structure of the Standard

How the requirements are organised.

Ref	Requirement
I	Annex I — Products CoveredDefines the food and feed products to which MRLs apply, including fruit and vegetables, fresh or frozen.
II	Annexes II & III — MRL TablesList definitive and temporary substance-specific MRLs per product.
IV	Annex IV — Exempt SubstancesActive substances for which no MRL is needed due to their low-risk profile.
DEF	Default MRLA default level of 0.01 mg/kg applies where no specific MRL is established.
MON	Monitoring and ControlsCoordinated EU monitoring programme and national official controls, with results published regularly.

Where it Applies

Pre-shipment residue screening
A residue panel appropriate to the crop and origin, run by an accredited laboratory, is standard practice for berries and vegetables.
Supplier monitoring plans
Ask for the plan and the last twelve months of results rather than a single certificate of analysis.
Processing factors
Limits apply to the product as placed on the market; processing can concentrate or dilute a residue, which has to be reasoned rather than assumed.

How it Compares

Positioning against neighbouring schemes.

Versus organic requirements
Organic status is about inputs and process. The residue limits in this regulation apply to organic and conventional goods alike.
Versus buyer internal limits
Most importers set an internal action level below the legal maximum. That internal level, not the regulation, usually decides acceptance.

Products Covered

Frozen Raspberry IQF

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Markets that Expect It

European UnionThe Union as a single regulatory destination: the rules that apply everywhere, the entry procedure, and what still differs country by country.

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FAQ

Which panel should we run?

One matched to the crop, the origin and the substances actually approved and used there. A generic panel misses the substances that matter.

Who chooses the laboratory?

The buyer normally names an accredited laboratory or accepts a defined list. Accreditation scope for the matrix matters as much as the laboratory name.

What happens on a finding above the limit?

The batch cannot be placed on the EU market. Handling is contractual, so the specification should state who pays for retesting, return or destruction.

Sources & References

Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 on maximum residue levels of pesticidesEUR-Lex, European Union · accessed August 22, 2026MRLs are amended frequently; reference the regulation, not a value.

Evidence confidence: partial

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Vorezan publishes reference information for buyers and suppliers. We are not a certification body, a customs broker or a guarantor of any third party. Regulatory references point to the framework in force at the review date; verify the current consolidated text and your own obligations before relying on them commercially.

Last updated: August 22, 2026Sources & references

EU Pesticide MRLs: Regulation (EC) No 396/2005

Overview

A default applies where no limit is listed

Limits move

The importer carries the exposure

Structure of the Standard

Where it Applies

Pre-shipment residue screening

Supplier monitoring plans

Processing factors

How it Compares

Versus organic requirements

Versus buyer internal limits

Products Covered

Markets that Expect It

FAQ

Sources & References

At a Glance

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