EU Member States Back Rules to Ban Pesticide-Tainted Imports, Defying US, Brazil, Japan, India

European Union member states agreed on September 30, 2026, to a joint position allowing the bloc to ban imports containing traces of pesticides not authorized in the EU, setting their Maximum Residue Levels to zero and clearing a key hurdle for the regulation. The Council of the EU's stance slightly broadens the European Commission's December proposal, extending coverage to substances harmful to bees or groundwater. It also lengthens pesticide approval periods to 15 years initially and 25 years for renewals. Any ban would require an impact assessment; an August commission study found such moves could raise consumer food prices. The US, Brazil, Japan and India have urged the EU to reconsider, arguing the plan departs from international MRL norms and could disrupt trade. The proposal still requires European Parliament approval before inter-institutional negotiations produce a final version.