Brussels, 19/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - Copa-Cogeca has said that the EU Standing Committee on Plant Health decision to weaken import controls put in place to prevent black spot disease in citrus fruit coming into Europe is unacceptable (see EUROPE 11534).
With more than 100 cases of this highly contagious disease having been discovered in imports to the EU, the EU agricultural organisations are worried.
“We oppose outright this decision which is due to enter into force this summer on three accounts”, said Copa-Cogeca Secretary General Pekka Pesonen. Firstly, it proposes allowing contaminated citrus fruit into the EU for use in processing. Secondly, the Commission has proposed to delete its decision vis-à-vis ensuring that controls are stepped up after the 6th interception in the same year, despite advice from EFSA. And thirdly, the Commission sent the proposal to member states only 3 days before the vote and many said this did not give them enough time to analyse it properly. “It threatens 600,000 ha and 5,000,000 tonnes of produce”, he said. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)