Agri-food supply chain: new Regulation (EU) 2026/1739 enters into force

Regulation (EU) 2026/1739 , amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013 (Single CMO), (EU) 2021/2115, and (EU) 2021/2116, entered into force on 18 August 2026 with the aim of strengthening the position of farmers in the food supply chain . The text was published in the Official Journal of the EU on 29 July 2026.

The purposes of the provision

The regulation was born in response to the crisis that has gripped the agricultural sector in recent years—amid the pandemic, global market instability, extreme weather events, and the conflict in Ukraine—factors that have severely impacted production costs and the distribution of value along the food chain, fueling protests and distrust among farmers.

The European legislator's stated objective is to restore fairness and trust in the supply chain, strengthening producers' negotiating power and protecting their incomes , also to make the agricultural profession more attractive to new generations.

The main novelties

The measure intervenes on four main fronts:

• Optional indications "fair" and "equitable" : with the new Article 88-bis of the Single CMO, these terms may be used on labels, in advertising, or in commercial documents only if there are stable and transparent conditions in supply chain relationships, a price deemed fair by the farmers involved, and collective initiatives oriented towards the UN's sustainable development goals.
• "Short supply chain" : this indication will be reserved for cases where the consumer can easily identify the agricultural companies of origin, with a direct or at least close geographical link between the producer and the final consumer.
• Mandatory written contracts : This requirement, already in place for the dairy sector, is being extended to all agricultural sectors (with some exceptions), with contracts that must define price, quantity, quality, delivery schedule, duration, and review clauses.
• Producer organizations : Collective bargaining tools are strengthened, with increased thresholds for collective bargaining in the raw milk sector and simplified multisectoral recognition.

Added to these are the rules on so-called "meat sounding" : a list of 31 names (beef, chicken, bacon, steak, fillet and others) reserved for meat products is introduced, with a ban on their use for plant-based foods or foods derived from cell cultures.

Application timeframes

Regulation (EU) 2026/1739 has therefore come into force from 18 August 2026, but the timetable for the application of the various measures is structured:

• 18 August 2026 : entry into force of the Regulation and application of the provisions not subject to deferral;
• August 19, 2028 : application, among other things, of the new provisions on written contracts and the use of the terms "fair," "equitable," and "short supply chain";
• 19 August 2029 : application of the new definitions and reserved names relating to meat and meat products;
• 19 August 2032 : deadline set by the transitional regime for the marketing of products that do not comply with the new denominations, unless stocks are exhausted beforehand.

The regulatory context

The new rules are part of a framework already outlined by Directive (EU) 2019/633 on unfair commercial practices in B2B relationships in the agri-food supply chain, and are intertwined with Directive (EU) 2024/825 on environmental and social sustainability claims, as well as Directive (EU) 2024/1760 on sustainability due diligence by companies.

Supply chain operators—farmers, cooperatives, producer organizations, processors, and distributors—will therefore have approximately two years to adapt their contracts, bylaws, and commercial communications to the new rules.