Brussels, 03/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - The member states have reached an agreement on the revision of the phytosanitary rules of the EU providing, amongst other things, for an open import regime with lists of plants which are banned or subject to reinforced controls. Negotiations with the European Parliament may now begin.
On 30 June, Coreper (Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States to the EU) reached an agreement for a common position of the Council on the revision of the rules on plant health. The question of the import regime was the toughest point on which to reach a compromise. Some parties, such as the European Commission, argued in favour of an open system in which products may enter the EU freely, and others (France and Spain in particular) were in favour of a closed mechanism with a list of authorised products. The member states ultimately opted for an open system, but with two lists, one of them featuring plants which are forbidden from entering the EU, and the other featuring plants which must meet special requirements before they can be imported. Another group of plants constituting a “higher risk” will be subject to assessment before being categorised in one or the other of the two lists. The text also introduces plans to harmonise the rules on the phytosanitary passports between the member states, to improve the traceability of plants imported into or circulating within the EU and to keep the regions free from certain parasites.
Negotiations can now get underway with the European Parliament, which adopted its negotiating position more than a year ago. Luxembourg, which took up the Presidency of the Council on 1 July, has made this issue one of its priorities in the field of agriculture. (Lionel Changeur)