According to Article 28 of Regulation 396/2005/EC (23rd February 2005) of the European Parliament and of the Council, concerning maximum residue levels for pesticides in or on food and feed of plant and animal origin, all laboratories analysing samples for the official control of pesticide residues shall participate in the European Union Proficiency Tests (EUPTs) for pesticide residues organised by the European Union. These proficiency tests are carried out on an annual basis in order to continuously improve the quality, accuracy and comparability of the residue data reported by EU Member States to the European Union, as well as by other Member States, within the framework of the EU multi-annual coordinated control programme and national monitoring programmes.

Regulation (EU) 2017/625 lays down the general tasks, duties and requirements for European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) for Food, Feed and Animal Health. Among these tasks is the provision for independently organised comparative tests. European Proficiency Test FV-22 has been organised by the EURL in Fruits and Vegetables at the University of Almería, Spain.

Participation in European Proficiency Test FV-22 was mandatory for all National Reference Laboratories (NRLs), as well as all other EU official laboratories, involved in the determination of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables for the EU multi-annual coordinated control programme or for their own national monitoring programmes. Additionally, laboratories from China, Colombia, Kenya, Peru, Serbia, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey and Uruguay participated in this test.

DG-SANTE will have full access to all data from the EUPTs including the lab-code/lab-name key. The NRLs will also have that information for the OfLs within their network. This report may be presented to the European Union Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (PAFF).