Yesterday, at the weekly meeting of European Commissioners, Brussels approved the Vision on Agriculture and Food, a document in which Brussels reflects on the future of the agri-food sector in the EU-27. The document states that "the Commission will establish a principle that the most dangerous pesticides banned in the EU for health or environmental reasons cannot return to the EU via imported products."
In this regard, the Commission will launch an assessment in 2025 "that will consider the impacts on the EU's competitive position and international implications and, if appropriate, propose amendments to the applicable legislative framework."
"The Commission will also examine the issue of the export of hazardous chemicals, including pesticides, which are banned in the EU," the text says.
The EU executive stressed that it would pursue "a greater alignment of production standards applied to imported products, particularly in pesticides and animal welfare".
"To address potential risks of unfair competition and illegal unilateral actions against the EU agri-food sector, the Commission will develop a unity safety net to protect the sector from economic coercion," the document states. It also acknowledges "the need to reconcile climate action with food security and the specific challenges faced by the sector."
"Farmers should be rewarded for adopting nature-friendly practices. In this context, the Commission will carefully consider any additional ban on the use of pesticides if no alternatives are available within a reasonable timeframe, and will streamline access to biopesticides on the EU market," it states.
Source: efeagro.com