Environmental lobby group Greenpeace has called the move to harmonise maximum residue limits (MRLs) in the European Union 'a scandal', claiming that the decision will mean the violation of the bloc's own food safety standards.
On 1 September, MRLs for fruit and vegetables will be harmonised throughout the EU in a bid to ease barriers to trade.
However, Greenpeace has outlined its fears that harmonisation will push pesticide residue in some fresh produce above safe levels, citing a recent study undertaken by Greenpeace Germany in conjunction with Austrian environmental organisation Global 2000.
The study examined the 170,000 pesticide limits laid down by the commission, according to the EU's own safety protocals. Greenpeace Germany said that in 570 cases of fruit and vegetables, the acute reference dose for children would be exceeded under new, harmonised EU limits. Apples, pears and grapes will be particularly affected, according to the study with almost 10 per cent of their new MRLs 'potentially damaging to children'.
'The EU Commission expects us to put up with more and more toxics in food. It's endangering the health of its citizens, and children in particular.' said Ulrike Kallee, toxics expert at Greenpeace Germany. 'This is a scandal. Greenpeace recommends to consumers who want to avoid pesticides in food to buy organic produce.'
Aside from safety worries, Spanish fresh produce export association Fepex has claimed that the imposition of maximum residue levels could discriminate against the country’s fruit and vegetable producers and hand foreign exporters a competitive advantage.
In a statement, the group said: “This harmonisation could be considered largely positive for the sector, but it could give foreign producers an advantage because they will be able to use chemicals that are not used in Europe.
“European growers could be penalised for using certain products, while at the same you could find fruit and vegetables imported from overseas that contain these residues.”
Despite the concerns of Greenpeace and Fepex, however, many organisations have hailed the move to harmonise pesticide limits in the EU, highlighting the potential simplicity it will bring to trade. Tim Willaert, of Dutch fresh produce supplier the Greenery, told Fruitnet.com that he is welcoming harmonisation as a positive step.
'It will have a positive effect on trade as existing trade barriers have now been lifted,' he said. 'All players now have a clear and harmonised set of rules wherein trade will take place. For an international company like the Greenery, this simplifies things.'
This view is shared by Philippe Binard, director general at Freshfel, who said that the move is 'urgently needed' to help eliminate the constant confusion of having many separate standards in different nations.
'The myriad of MRLs applicable across the entire EU and their constant modification has proved the single biggest barrier to the trade of fresh produce across the EU,' Mr Binard said. '1 September 2008 is already a milestone in the fresh produce trade, as more than 15 years after the introduction of single market EU regulation 396/2005/EC, the fixing of pan-EU harmonised MRLs will enter into force.'
