The Commission Implementing Regulation 2021/808 which lays down requirements for the performance of methods for the analysis of veterinary drug residues has entered into force on 10 June, 2021. In addition to this document, COM asked the EURLs to provide guidance to support the implementation of the new CIR. For this purpose the EURLs have – with the NRL’s support – published several guidance documents outlining their interpretation of CIR 2021/808. These documents are meant as a support for all laboratories but they are not seen as mandatory to follow and other approaches are possible if comparable results are achieved. Still, they aim at a harmonised interpretation of CIR 2021/808 and therefore greatly benefit from the NRL’s contributions. In order to address several laboratories’ request for additional guidance on the application of the standard addition approach respecting the provisions of CIR 2021/808, a working group was formed. The working group and the EURLs are pleased to present the first draft of the Guidance Document on Standard Addition and would now like to initiate the commenting process.

As always, all NRLs are asked to provide their feedback using an online form provided by e-mail by 22 November 2022. As a final step all comments will be reviewed and the draft will be amended.

The EURLs are pleased to announce that the guidance document on minimum method performance requirements (MMPRs) has been updated and version 2.0 is now available. The changes with regard to the previous version pertain to residue definitions and matrix changes, as well as clarifications regarding the MMPRs to be considered for authorised pharmacologically active substances, for which no MRL has been set for a specific matrix or species. In addition, the MMPR document has been endorsed by the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, which is certainly a significant contribution to harmonised residue control throughout the European Union.