New development
New outbreak in Plovdiv region: zones updated until October
Bulgaria / EU · poultry farming and veterinary control · decision adopted
Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2187 published on 28 September updates the zones for highly pathogenic avian influenza following a new outbreak in the Plovdiv region. A protection zone is foreseen for Momino Selo and Glavatar until 18 October, followed by surveillance from 19 to 27 October. The new surveillance zone also covers other explicitly specified settlements, including Rakovski, until 27 October. Therefore, the earlier deadline of 6 October for the previous outbreak should not be taken as a general exemption for Rakovski. Poultry farmers, transporters and suppliers should check the exact site, the current BFSA order and the veterinary documents before movement; no ban is declared for the entire area.
ETCS: new threshold for projects starting from September 28
EU · railway signalling and conformity assessment · current regulation - new transitional stage
A new transition threshold is reached in the specification for the control-command and signalling railway subsystems as amended by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/693 from 28 September. For the changes to the on-board subsystems defined in the transition table, the date is decisive when the design phase starts now or later. The minimum ETCS on-board limited scope and the revised specifications of the previous set No. 3 are affected. This is not a general deadline for the replacement of all trains in service. Manufacturers, applicants and notified bodies must document the start and end of the design phase, the applicable row of the table, the version of the specifications and the evidence from the tests before defining the assessment plan.
Folpet: extension covers only product type 9
EU · biocides and test dossiers · adopted decision
Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2151, published on 28 September, provides for the extension of the approval period of folpet for biocidal products of product-type 9 to 31 March 2029. Product-type 7 is not included: the act indicates that its approval will expire on 30 September 2026. The timing is also important: the new decision will enter into force on 18 October, after the previous deadline. Suppliers and authorisation holders should distinguish between product types and request legal verification of the applicable regime in the interim period. They should not automatically accept continuous approval or universal rules for available stocks; the conditions of the initial approval remain relevant.
MIT: new deadline until March 2029 and question of the transition period
EU · biocides for metalworking fluids · decision adopted
Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2127, published on 28 September, provides for the postponement of the approval period of 2-methylisothiazol-3(2H)-one, known as MIT, for product-type 13 until 31 March 2029. This is due to the ongoing assessment of the renewal and not a final positive decision on the entire dossier. The conditions of the initial approval are maintained. Manufacturers of metalworking fluids, suppliers and authorisation holders must check the exact use and product documentation. The decision enters into force on 18 October, while the previous deadline was 30 September; the regime between these dates requires explicit clarification with the competent authority and should not be considered as automatically settled.
Granulated copper: wood preservative evaluation gets more time
EU · wood preservatives and chemical compliance · decision adopted
Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2134 postpones until 31 July 2029 the expiry of the approval of granulated copper for biocidal products of product-type 8 — wood preservatives. The act was published on 28 September and entered into force on 18 October; the previous deadline was 31 December 2026. The postponement allows for the completion of the renewal assessment and does not constitute a new authorisation for each product or a new use. Authorisation holders and producers of treated wood should compare the substance, product type and conditions under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1094 with their existing dossiers, contracts and labels. The necessary evidence of compliance is not lost due to the extended deadline.
Estonia may continue limited use of Biobor JF
Estonia / EU · aviation maintenance and biocides · decision adopted
By Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2122, the European Commission authorises the Estonian Health Authority to extend the emergency measure for Biobor JF for the period from 25 April 2026 to 27 October 2027. The decision was published on 28 September and concerns the professional antimicrobial treatment of aircraft fuel tanks and fuel systems. This is a limited national derogation and not a pan-European authorisation for the product. Aircraft operators, maintenance organisations and suppliers should check the actual national extension, the permitted use, the qualifications of personnel and the treatment records. The Commission authorisation does not replace the applicable manufacturer's procedures and maintenance safety requirements.
Latvia receives derogation for ethylene oxide in archives
Latvia / EU · archives and controlled biocidal treatment · decision adopted
Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2125 published on 28 September allows Latvia to authorise biocidal products containing ethylene oxide for the preservation of cultural heritage, specifically archival materials, until 31 July 2031. The derogation under the Biocidal Products Regulation is not a general approval of the substance for all disinfection uses. Archive operators, specialist contractors and laboratories should check the national authorisation, material scope, exposure management and evidence of residue control. Process validation and compatibility with the materials treated remain essential for quality and safety. The Latvian decision should not be used as an authorisation for an identical activity in another country.
France: separate derogation for archival disinfection
France / EU · archives and validation of biocidal processes · decision adopted
By Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2132, published on 28 September, France is granted the possibility to authorise biocides containing ethylene oxide for the preservation of archival materials until 31 July 2031. The measure is a separate national derogation and does not make ethylene oxide a generally authorised substance for product type 2. For archives and specialist contractors, the practical check is whether the specific product, installation and intended use are covered by a French authorisation. Validation of processing, degassing, residues, worker protection and training should be followed up. The European decision itself does not certify the safety of a specific cycle and does not override the conditions of the national authorisation regime.
The Polish derogation covers the protection of cultural heritage
Poland / EU · cultural heritage and biocidal treatment · decision adopted
Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2146 allows Poland to authorise biocidal products containing ethylene oxide for the protection of cultural heritage until 31 July 2031. The act was adopted on 25 September and published on 28 September. Unlike the separate decisions for Latvia and France, its operative part does not limit the wording to archival materials. This difference should be taken into account when checking the authorisation, but does not imply unlimited use. Museums, libraries, archives and contractors should confirm the national scope, exposure controls, suitability of equipment and traceable records of processing. There is no automatic transfer of conditions or authorisations between the three countries.
Upcoming deadlines
Chinese packaging sheet: seven days until the deadline for comments
US/China · steel packaging materials and market access · preliminary anti-dumping determination — T–7
The published notice deadline for basic written submissions in the U.S. antidumping investigation A-570-228 on certain flat-rolled steel products from China coated with tin, chromium, or chromium oxides expires on October 5. Notice 2026-19274 was published on September 21 and sets a deadline of 14 days after publication, unless otherwise amended. This is a T-7 reminder, not a final antidumping decision. Importers, exporters, and packaging material suppliers should verify the product scope, origin, applicable deposits, and procedural calendar in ACCESS. A check for subsequent extensions and public and confidential version rules is required prior to submission.
Haskovo: 14 days until the end of the specific protection period
Bulgaria / EU · livestock and veterinary evidence · current zonal measure — T–14
The end of the protection period around five outbreaks of sheep and goat pox in the Haskovo District group under Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2052 is indicated on 12 October. The zones include specific parts of the Haskovo and Stara Zagora districts, and not automatically their entire territory. The reminder is T–14 until a previously published deadline; the annex provides for subsequent surveillance and later end dates. Farmers and transporters should not accept 12 October as an automatic authorisation to move. They should check the current national order, the exact boundaries around the site, the veterinary documents and possible subsequent changes before negotiating or making deliveries.
Strategic Watch
MyHealth@EU: identification enters a new legal framework on October 12
EU eHealth and identification assessment deferred application regime adopted - T-14
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2099 enters into force on 12 October, but its general application starts on 26 March 2027. The T-14 reminder is for planning cross-border identification in MyHealth@EU, not for immediate certification of all healthcare institutions. The act regulates the identification of patients, healthcare professionals and providers, levels of coverage and the exchange of identification data. For relevant non-notified devices, confirmation by a conformity assessment body or equivalent is foreseen. Participating organisations must match roles, authentication, access rights and technical evidence. The specific dates in 2029, 2030 and 2032 remain separate from the entry into force.
CCFICS28: two weeks until discussions on import and export controls
International / Codex Alimentarius · food inspection and certification · international strategic signal — T–14
The Codex Committee on Food Inspection and Certification Systems for Imports and Exports – CCFICS28 – will meet in Perth from 12 to 17 October. Today’s T-14 reminder is a strategic radar, not an announcement of new requirements adopted. The work covers the presentation of sanitary requirements, food fraud, listing of establishments, equivalence and a review of traceability principles. Competent authorities, exporters and assessment organisations should review the working papers and positions on topics that affect their evidence and market access. The preliminary working group is on 11 October; the results should be followed up separately after the meeting.
CTIS: current guidance now points to October
EU/EEA clinical trials and regulatory record quality updated operational guidance – expected transition
The guidance EMA/178285/2026, updated on 24 September, now specifies October 2026 for the introduction of the new Safety module in the CTIS sponsor workspace. This is an important clarification compared to the previously announced date of 28 September, which should not be presented as a confirmed launch today. The guidance foresees a two-month transition: after the actual launch, new annual safety reports are submitted in the new module, while the old procedures are completed according to separate rules. Sponsors and contract research organisations should check user roles and ensure that reports, requests for information and responses are archived before access to old records is lost.
The consultation on crew fatigue management ends today
United Kingdom · military aviation and safety management · formal consultation - deadline today
The UK Military Aviation Authority’s consultation on NPA 26/15 to amend RA 2345 – Management of Aircrew Fatigue closes on 28 September. This is a draft, not a new rule. The proposal strengthens the risk-based approach, responsibilities for work and rest periods and the consideration of ground tasks and total workload. Affected operators and contractors in the UK military aviation environment can provide evidence of operational impact, internal procedures and required resources. They should use the official form and check the acceptance of the response before submitting; there is no specific deadline. The draft does not automatically change civil aviation rules.
Belplant II: new court case on regional pesticide restrictions
EU / Belgium · plant protection and market access · preliminary ruling request published
On 28 September, the Official Journal published the reference in Case C-666/26, Belplant II, which was lodged with the Court of Justice of the EU on 16 June. The question concerns the possibility for a region with a predominantly urban area, such as Brussels-Capital, to prohibit the use of certain plant protection products by way of exceptions and temporary derogation for emergency situations. No decision on the substance is given in the published notice and it does not introduce a new European ban. Manufacturers, distributors and professional users should distinguish between product authorisation and regional restrictions on use and follow the case. The implications are for the future interpretation of market access and the demonstration of authorised use.
Biocides: litigation over dossiers and list of suppliers
EU · biocides, data rights and supplier qualification · legal challenges - a strategic signal
On 28 September, notices were published on five cases against ECHA — T-525/26, T-527/26, T-530/26, T-531/26 and T-532/26. The common theme is the registration of suppliers under Article 95 of the Biocidal Products Regulation and access to protected data for bronopol, ADBAC, DDAC, DCOIT and DBNPA. The notices describe the claims and arguments of the complainants, no infringements found by the court. They do not automatically lead to the removal of a supplier or the suspension of a product authorisation. Manufacturers and audit teams should keep up-to-date checks on the Article 95 list, the substance and product type, the rights to use the dossier and the contractual evidence, and follow the progress of each case separately.
Public procurement: how to prove probable labor or environmental non-compliance
EU / Portugal · public procurement and proof of conformity · published preliminary ruling request
The reference published on 28 September in Case C-579/26, Ovisegur, raises the question of the admissibility of tenders in the event of a possible failure to comply with environmental, social security or labour obligations. The reason is a significant discrepancy between the terms of the tender and the technical specifications in a procedure for security services in Portugal. The Court is being asked for interpretation and has not announced a new ground for automatic exclusion. Tenderers and contracting authorities should monitor developments and maintain verifiable evidence of resources, cost assumptions and applicable obligations. The signal is important for the quality of the screening of suppliers, but does not justify replacing concrete evidence with a presumption of infringement.
Reliability of suppliers is the subject of a new inquiry to the Court of Justice of the EU
EU / Latvia · public procurement and corporate compliance · published preliminary ruling request
On 28 September, the reference in case C-694/26 on exclusion from public procurement following an anti-competitive penalty was published. The Latvian court asks about the use of an appealed decision, the possible accumulation of exclusion periods and the proof of restored reliability when the penalty is contested and unpaid. These are questions for the Court of Justice of the EU, not new applicable rules or definitive answers. Participants in public procurement must maintain traceable corrective measures, decisions on responsibilities, training and evidence of the effective functioning of compliance programmes. Contracting authorities should check the applicable law and the specific procedural status, without drawing an automatic conclusion from the reference itself.
Published by MG Global in partnership with ERPI.
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