The principal organisations representing the European fruit and vegetable sector have hit out at the unscientific manner in which the EU’s new pesticide package is being discussed.
AREFLH, FRESHFEL and OEITFL have implored Members of the European Parliament to consider during this week’s second reading of the package the grave implications of further limiting plant protection solutions.
The European Parliament’s proposals would introduce “cut-off criteria” which foresee the elimination of hazardous substances based on their toxicological properties and not on the risk posed by their use.
In a joint press release, the three European organisations have argued that the additional criteria “will have serious consequences on produce quality and availability, as well as the economic viability of certain crops” and could see certain products, such as carrots, onions and brassicas, “lose all plant protection solutions available to them”.
“Inevitable price increases would have a knock-on effect on fruit and vegetable consumption, at a time when the role of fruit and vegetables has never been as high on the public health policy priority list,” the statement added.
The European Crop Protection Agency has already called for the European Council to undertake a full impact assessment of the new legislation, contending that the proposed ban on some pesticides is based on a substance's potential impact rather than a realistic assessment of the threat that it may carry, and that this will severely hamper crop production in Europe.
