New development
EA publishes updated complaints and appeals procedure
Europe · Accreditation · Accreditation rule
European co-operation for Accreditation has published revision 07 of EA-1/17 S3 A:2026 for handling complaints and appeals, dated 19 October. The document was approved on 6 October and indicates immediate application without a transition period. The procedure requires written submission in English and verifiable evidence; in the event of a dispute over a specific accredited body, the relevant procedures of the body and the national accreditation body should first be used. Requested additional information is provided within 30 days, unless an extension has been granted. Organisations should check their internal escalation routes, evidence files and responsibilities against the current version, without accepting all its clauses as new.
New methodology defines evidence when verifying price increases
Bulgaria · Trade and consumer protection · Adopted regulatory act
By Decree No. 204 of October 15, promulgated on October 20, 2026, the Council of Ministers adopted a methodology for assessing the economic justification of consumer price increases. It enters into force upon promulgation. Comparable goods or services from the same trader and sales channel are checked, as well as the demonstrable impact of costs. Among the evidence are invoices, contracts, price lists, cash documents and data from electronic systems. The initial deadline for submitting documents cannot be less than five working days. Traders should ensure a traceable link between the pricing decision and the cost justification; the methodology does not introduce a general price ceiling.
Security activities: new requirements for transporting valuables
Bulgaria · Private security · Law adopted with deferred provisions
The amendments to the Private Security Act were promulgated on 20 October 2026. For the transport of money and valuables, the law defines ballistic classes FB2, FB3 and FB4 according to BDS EN 1522 according to the value of the cargo, as well as requirements for video surveillance and additional escort in the cases provided for. The transport regulations do not enter into force immediately: a six-month postponement is provided for them after the general entry into force of the law. The affected companies and their clients should check the characteristics of the vehicles and the contractual terms. The aforementioned existing licenses remain valid, and the change in the type of activity is reflected ex officio.
Industrial Emissions Portal gets new format for reporting data
EU Industry and Environment Implementing Decision
Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2267, published on 20 October, establishes the format and schedule for submitting data to the Industrial Emissions Portal. The application starts on 1 January 2028, with the first reporting period for core data being 2027 and for raw materials 2028. The scope includes emissions, production and consumption of water and energy. The deadlines of 30 September and 30 November of the following year are for reporting by Member States, not automatically for operators. Companies should check national guidance, reporting boundaries and traceability of measurements in advance so that future records can be verified.
IED reporting will encompass more evidence of compliance
EU · Industrial installations and control systems · Implementation decision
Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2326, published on 20 October, expands the data that countries provide for the implementation of the Industrial Emissions Directive. Fields are provided for permits, inspection reports, serious infringements, monitoring and best available techniques. The decision applies from 1 January 2028 for the reporting year 2027. Information on environmental management systems is introduced later, for the reporting year 2030 for energy-intensive industries and 2033 for others. The reference to EMAS and ISO 14001 is not a general obligation for certification. Operators must match permits, monitoring records and management evidence with the future reporting fields.
FDA Finalizes Guidance on Identity and Safety of New Ingredients
USA · Dietary Supplements · Final Non-Binding Guidance
On October 19, the FDA issued final guidance on identity and safety in notifications of novel food ingredients, and the notice was published in the Federal Register on October 20. Specific sections of the 2016 draft have been finalized, not the entire document. It recommends a consistent presentation of safety evidence and specifies when additional data is needed and what studies may support it. The guidance is not legally binding. Manufacturers and exporters of dietary supplements should review the identification of ingredients, the applicability of testing, and the relationship between the data and the safety conclusion in their dossiers.
Upcoming deadlines
FDA: Two weeks until deadline for opinions on botanical drugs
USA · Pharmaceuticals and Herbal Products · T–14 · Consulting
There are 14 days left until the FDA’s November 3, 2026, deadline for comments on the consultation on botanical drug development. This is a reminder of the September 4 announcement and not a new regulatory requirement. The consultation addresses the characterization of complex botanical mixtures, batch-to-batch variability, quality standards, and evidence of development. Electronic submissions close at 11:59 p.m. EST on November 3 — 6:59 a.m. on November 4 in Sofia. Developers, laboratories, and suppliers should prepare specific examples of test reproducibility and raw material control, separating confidential information as required.
Strategic Watch
Lupin: European monitoring directs laboratories to nine alkaloids
EU · Feed and laboratories · Monitoring recommendation
By Recommendation (EU) 2026/2353, published on 20 October, the Commission encourages the monitoring of quinolizidine alkaloids in lupin, feed materials derived from lupin and compound feed during 2026-2029. At least nine alkaloids are to be determined, with preference given to LC-MS/MS and the possibility of other reliably justified methods. The lupin type, varietal characteristics and processing are important for the interpretation of the results. The data shall be provided to EFSA in a standardised format. This is not a new maximum permissible concentration. Laboratories and producers should check the scope of the methods, the limits of quantification and the information accompanying the samples.
Nitrates and nitrites in feed: recommendation for more targeted monitoring
EU · Feed and livestock · Monitoring recommendation
The European Commission published on 20 October Recommendation (EU) 2026/2297 on the monitoring of nitrates and nitrites in feed. The focus is on roughage and grass products, as well as certain by-products from the processing of sugar beet, sugar cane, starch and alcohol. It is envisaged to collect comparable analytical data for EFSA and good practices in fertilisation, storage and feeding. The Recommendation does not introduce new mandatory maximum levels. Feed businesses and laboratories should assess whether the sampling and analysis plans cover the relevant raw materials and whether the results can be linked to the origin and storage conditions.
APHIS discusses changing ripening temperature for imported meat
USA · Food and Veterinary Control · Project Consulting
APHIS published a proposal on October 20 to reduce the minimum temperature for the intended maturation of certain categories of imported beef and mutton from 4°C to 2°C. The proposal applies to specific origin regimes from FMD risk areas, not to all shipments to the U.S. market. Other protective conditions, including processing duration and pH control, remain in place. Comments are being accepted until December 21, 2026; the change is not yet effective. Affected international chains should evaluate temperature records, process validation, and veterinary certifications before proposing changes to their operating procedures.
The current DeepSeek federal procurement order has been published.
USA · AI and security of supply · Current baseline · new official publication
The Federal Register published on October 20 a DHS order to exclude and remove certain DeepSeek products and services from federal civilian agency deliveries and systems. Order No. 2026-01 itself was issued and is effective July 24, 2026; this is not a new ban from October. The scope also includes specified third-party products developed through the respective implementations, subject to the exceptions provided. The regime is not a blanket ban for the private sector or the EU. Suppliers to affected agencies should review software and cloud dependencies, contractual declarations, and proof of origin, without considering the publication as a new start to the transition period.
Published by MG Global in partnership with ERPI.
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