Brussels, 24/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 23 March, the European Commissioner for Health, Vytenis Andriukaitis, called for “absolute vigilance” to prevent the spread of xylella fastidiosa, a bacteria that kills olive trees in Italy and which could also pose a threat to vines and citrus fruits (see EUROPE 11280).
The Commissioner announced that he would “very soon be in Italy” to examine the effectiveness of the measures taken against this epidemic that appeared in October 2013 and to listen to the farmers who have been affected.
The Commissioner informed the European Parliament's agriculture committee that the European Union was following the situation “very closely and is encouraging a precautionary approach”. So far, expert analysis of the situation “suggests that at least 10%” of around 11 million olive trees in the Lecce province have been affected. The bacteria dries up the plants it attacks and no remedy has been found to tackle it yet. The commissioner emphasised that it was also a threat to European vine and citrus fruit farmers, “which could become the next plants” that play host to the disease.
According to the Commission, Italy, which has introduced a health cordon of 241,000 ha in the southern region of Perugia, has been dragging its feet because it has been put under pressure from producers in the region. Michael Flueh from the Health and Consumers services at the Commission, indicated that “very few olive trees have been destroyed” and a second epidemic had recently been flagged up in the province of Brindisi in the north of the country.
Enhanced measures in April
Flueh explained that the Commission would adopt “enhanced measures at the end of April” after discussions at the EU's Standing Committee on Plant Health on 26-27 March and with the Italian authorities. This senior Commission official explained that the Commission was planning “to significantly strengthen the scale of the confinement zone and set up a cordon” around the farms where the epidemic has been identified. The Commission also wants to make the restrictions on products from third countries stricter because the bacteria has managed to get into Europe through plant imports from Costa Rica. The Commission official admitted that “without financial instruments that will allow for compensation, except for spending on uprooting” and as legislation currently stands, this tougher stance is going to cost the farmers dearly.
Delegates from the agriculture committee expressed the concerns from a number of countries, particularly France, Spain and Portugal, which have called for a toughening up in the prevention rules. Resistance, however, is mounting in Italy against the destruction of the very ancient olive trees that have fashioned the landscape of Puglia.
In reply to questions, particularly from Albert Dess (EPP, Germany) on antimicrobial resistance, Andriukaitis said that he was considering all the different human, veterinary and plant health aspects, “global strategies are required to tackle this antimicrobial resistance, throughout the food chain”. He explained that common data is required to register the different information on the substances used for humans and animals and that “the five-year plan for tackling antimicrobial resistance will need to be revised”. He is hoping that it will be possible to develop the same approach for medical and veterinary use of antibiotics. The commissioner said, “The two cannot be separated. Every year a statement on health and the EU will be required” based on certain indicators or themes (antimicrobial resistance or chronic diseases). This scoreboard will help to provide clarification on how to reduce the use of antibiotics. A change in the methodology adopted is therefore required and the commissioner emphasised that, “it would be necessary to ban the use of antibiotics for preventive measures in animals and to develop new medicines”.
Cloning. Labelling the meat from cloned animals was envisaged but not retained by the Commission in 2013, the commissioner pointed out.
Labelling meat in ready-made meals. The Commission took note of the EP's request on compulsory labelling of meat in ready-made meals but according to the commissioner preparatory work in this connection has demonstrated that “this measure could prove very expensive and become a real burden on operators and the authorities in charge of inspections”. He said that it was necessary to continue the reflections in this connection in an effort to be able to take “the most proportionate measure possible”.
Seeds. The Commission withdrew the proposal on seeds. The commissioner met a number of associations in favour of a new approach on plant reproduction. The Commission would like to debate with all the different actors to see what the best approach to follow will be. There are two possibilities: making use of previous proposals, whilst introducing amendments or developing a completely new text and a new approach (with new impact studies). This, however will take time, admitted the commissioner. (Lionel Changeur)