At a working lunch on Monday 26 January in Brussels, the European agriculture ministers will be discussing the arrangements for setting up the task force on EU import controls, in the presence of the European Commissioner for Health, Olivér Várhelyi.
European farmers are particularly concerned about the use by Mercosur countries of pesticides banned in the European Union (see other news).
As part of the measures recently announced (see EUROPE 13781/4), the Commission has confirmed its intention to step up its import controls on agricultural products. The number of audits carried out in countries outside the EU will be increased by 50%, and those carried out at EU border checkpoints will be increased by 33% in 2026-2027. The launch of this European task force is scheduled for the end of January, mobilising the expertise and resources of the Commission and the Member States to make import controls more effective throughout the EU. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)