With the start of the European Parliament elections, Fepex has presented its demands to future MEPs, focusing on three critical areas for the fruit and vegetable sector. First, the implementation of safeguard measures to protect Community production from an uncontrolled increase in imports from third countries. Second, strengthening the investment capacity for fruit and vegetable farms in the face of climate change and improving competitiveness. Third, the need for effective crisis management measures to address market imbalances caused by supply and demand fluctuations and increased imports.
EU trade policy has favored the entry of products from third countries, doubling fruit and vegetable imports compared to EU exports, according to Eurostat data up to September 2023. Fepex advocates applying safeguard measures and including reciprocity clauses in trade agreements, especially on phytosanitary and environmental issues, to defend Community production.
In addition, Fepex has proposed increasing the EU's financial support for producer organization operational programs to 10% of the value of marketed production, to boost sectoral investment. The organization also underlined the importance of improving market crisis management tools to protect the sector from frequent crises caused by supply and demand imbalances.
In the production field, Fepex emphasized the need for adequate phytosanitary tools and opposed the elimination of existing products without effective alternatives. The organization welcomes the withdrawal of the European Commission Regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products, hoping that future legislation will consider the productive reality of the fruit and vegetable sector guaranteeing producers have useful tools to combat pests and diseases.
Source: fepex.es