• © OpenStreetMap contributors, License: https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright
    NRL network, © OpenStreetMap contributors, License: https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright

EURL Residue Prioritisation

The updated residue prioritisation for substance groups within the responsibility of the EURL Berlin is now available from the FIS-VL.

Background:

The EURL Berlin groups veterinary drug residues into minimum required, recommended, optional, and other residues, taking into account factors such as production and prescription volumes, suspected illicit application and frequency of residue detection in official control samples. Based on this classification the EURL Berlin evaluates the Member States’ National Residue Control Plans (NRCP) to highlight adequate aspects or point out areas where improvements might be required. In order to further promote the analysis of the most relevant residues and thereby harmonise residue analysis within its network, the EURL Berlin includes all minimum required and recommended residues in the proficiency assessment of its proficiency tests. The EURL Berlin regularly assesses the adequacy of the classification taking into account new developments; substances may therefore be reassigned to a different priority group.

NSAI1025: Registration now possible

We are pleased to invite you to participate in our forthcoming EURL proficiency test NSAI1025 on the determination of NSAIDs in bovine milk and chicken egg. Participation in the module for NSAIDs in chicken egg is optional and the results for chicken egg will not be considered for the proficiency assessment. If your laboratory does not have an analytical method for NSAIDs in chicken egg, please consider your participation using your method for bovine milk instead.

Participation for eligible laboratories is free of charge. However, all matters pertaining to import and customs will need to be arranged by your organisation. The EURL Berlin reserves the right to limit the number of participants from Third Countries. Please find more details on the proficiency test, as well as the proposed time schedule in the official invitation and contact the EURL Berlin should you have any questions.

Tolerance Limits for Coccidiostats

Many coccidiostats are authorised as feed additives and maximum levels (MLs) for the unavoidable carry-over into food have been established along maximum residue limits (MRLs). Since the authorisation as feed additive is limited to a certain time period, the applicability of MLs frequently changes. Furthermore, MLs are usually provided for a large variety of species and may also differentiate within a species (e.g. differentiation between chicken for laying and chicken for fattening). The EURL Berlin would like to support the laboratory network in the implementation of the legislation by providing an overview of the tolerance limits for all relevant coccidostats. The document is regularly updated. The current version is 1.5 and can be downloaded from the sub-page ‘Guidance Documents’.

Dates of 2025 EURL-Workshops

As every year, we will organise EURL-Workshops for the representatives of the NRLs. We look forward to welcoming you at our premises again and to deepening our collaboration with you.

The dates of the annual EURL-Workshops of the three EURLs for Residues in 2025 are scheduled as follows:

  • The 2025 Workshop of the EURL ANSES will take place in Fougères, France, from 25 to 26 June. Invitations have been sent in mid-April.
  • The 2025 Workshop of the EURL BVL will take place in Berlin, Germany, from 23 to 25 September.
  • The 2025 Workshop of the EURL WFSR will take place in Wageningen, the Netherlands, from 28 to 30 October.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1229 on carry-over

With regard to the topic of carry-over, we would like to draw you attention to COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) 2024/1229 of 20 February 2024 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2019/4 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing specific maximum levels of cross-contamination of antimicrobial active substances in non-target feed and methods of analysis for these substances in feed.

VMPR in Food: Latest EFSA Report Confirms Low Non-Compliance

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its latest report on veterinary drug residues in food, analysing 2023 data from EU Member States, Iceland, and Norway. The results show that non-compliance remains low, with 0.11 % of samples exceeding legal limits—consistent with previous years. The report is the first to include the division into three control plans, providing valuable insights for risk assessors and control authorities.

The complete report can be accessed on EFSA’s website and is also visualised in the dashboard.

Registration for ANTH0325 now open

We are pleased to invite you to participate in our forthcoming EURL proficiency test ANTH0325 on the determination of anthelmintics in bovine milk. Participation for eligible laboratories is free of charge. However, all matters pertaining to import and customs will need to be arranged by your organisation. The EURL Berlin reserves the right to limit the number of participants from Third Countries. Please find more details on the proficiency test, as well as the proposed time schedule in the official invitation and contact the EURL Berlin should you have any questions.