27/04/2026
Once again, hidden behind the label of “simplification,” a sweeping legislative package – the Food and Feed Safety Omnibus – is moving forward at speed. It proposes to amend ten separate food and feed safety laws in one single proposal, with virtually no public consultation, and no comprehensive impact assessment. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are asked to assess complex, far-reaching reforms under time pressure, making it harder to evaluate each change on its merits.
Yet the Omnibus proposal touches on some of the most critical pillars of EU food safety, from pesticide approvals, residue limits in food, import controls, feed additives, to safeguards against diseases such as BSE (mad cow disease).
These are the result of decades of public health protections built in response to real crises.
What’s at Stake
Concerns raised by civil society and legal experts point to several troubling implications:
- Weakened pesticide controls, including the possibility of indefinite approvals and reduced reliance on the latest scientific evidence
- Increased exposure to pesticide residues, due to fewer reviews and prolonged marketing of products under outdated limits
- Reduced safeguards against animal diseases, including more flexible definitions that could undermine early detection systems
- Lower scrutiny of imports, despite already stretched inspection capacities across Member States
Taken together, these changes risk undermining the EU’s legal obligation to ensure a high level of protection for human health and the environment. Equally concerning is how this proposal is being advanced. The lack of transparency, absence of impact assessments, and limited public engagement contradict the EU’s own principles of good administration. This is precisely why The Good Lobby launched the Deregulation Monitor: to track, analyse, and respond to the EU’s accelerating deregulatory agenda.
Why This Moment Matters
The legislative process is still underway. The European Parliament and Member States have the power to amend, or reject, the proposal. Many MEPs have not yet taken a final position. That means public pressure can still make a difference. Citizens, consumers, farmers, and advocates have a window of opportunity to call for transparency, proper scrutiny, and the preservation of essential safeguards.
The current proposal risks weakening safeguards that Europeans rely on every day – quietly and quickly.
Now is the time to speak up: Sign the petition by Foodwatch and call on MEPs to stand for food safety, transparency, and democratic accountability. Not in our name.