Brussels, 02/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 27 May, Copa-Cogeca, the EU's agricultural cooperatives and organisations, called on the European Commission to take further measures to “apply automatically to restrict imports from South Africa if more than six interceptions are detected”, as recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). “We don't want the same situation as last year when almost 40 interceptions were found and when the EU only took measures when the export season had finished”, said Copa-Cogeca in a press release
The same day, the EU standing committee on plant health gave its approval to the European Commission's proposals to strengthen the EU's protection against imports of South African citrus fruit which carries black spot disease. The new measures oblige South Africa to list post-harvest chemical treatments, to register packaging companies, to inspect orchards and to carry out systematic tests on shipments (see EUROPE 11089). (EH)