Brussels, Belgium
October 23, 2007
Serious damage will be inflicted
on Europe's food and farming industry, according to
the European Crop Protection
Association (ECPA), if today's vote in the
European Parliament
on the authorisation regulation for plant protection products
was to result in legislation.
MEPs were voting on a new regulation governing the availability
of plant protection products in the EU. The outcome of the vote
today shows that a majority of MEPs have chosen to support an
approach which would result in the ban of plant protection
products that have been proven safe.
According to the European Crop Protection Association, MEPs have
ignored the overwhelming evidence that demonstrates the safety
of these technologies, without which up to 40% of our food would
be at risk from destruction by disease and pest pressure. The
result means that without further amendment by the Agriculture
Council, farmers will in many cases be left with few solutions
to protect important crops from destruction.
ECPA's Director General, Dr. Friedhelm Schmider, said: "European
consumers repeatedly say they want more, affordable, fresh fruit
and vegetables that are produced locally. But MEPs today made it
harder to meet that demand by denying farmers the tools they
need to produce sufficient quantity at a price that is
affordable to all.
This also puts at risk the EU agri-food industry, which is a
global leader, and depends on agriculture's raw materials to
maintain its productivity and competitiveness. The result will
mean this industry, which employs 18 million people, will be
forced to import more food from outside the EU at a time when
export markets are contracting.
MEPs have chosen to ignore these consequences.. This will mean
more expensive and more imported food, that are not produced to
the standards we have in Europe."
ECPA will continue to work alongside the farmers and growers in
the agri-food industry, co-legislators and the European
Commission with the intention of producing a final outcome that
better meets the needs of European voters. |
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