Olivér Várhelyi, the European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, confirmed to the European agriculture ministers on Monday 17 November that he would be presenting a simplification package for food safety legislation next month.
He indicated that this package will evaluate the mandate and performance of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as well as animal health legislation, “as we are seeing more and more outbreaks of several diseases across the European Union”.
Several ministers have asked the Commission to re-examine the maximum residue levels (MRLs) of pesticides already banned in the EU and to lower these MRLs to the detection threshold. The Netherlands welcomed the expected proposal to speed up the authorisation of organic plant protection products.
Wine. Hungary, supported by the Czech Republic, Italy and Slovakia, pointed to the phytosanitary risks threatening European wine production.
These countries have asked the Commission (https://aeur.eu/f/jgx ): - to take into consideration the availability of viable alternatives when deciding on approval/withdrawal of active substances; - to provide longer transitional period during the withdrawal of active substances especially which have a crucial role in the protective measures against quarantine pests and their vectors; - to make every effort to widen the availability of alternative active substances; - to consider making available for the Member States high-resolution satellite images to help them detect infestations of vineyard areas. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)