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Romanian MEP Daniel Buda has been appointed spokesman for the European People's Party (EPP) on the Committee of Inquiry into animal welfare during the transport of live animals. The deputy coordinator of the group will be the Slovak MEP Michal Wiezik (EPP).

The European Parliament adopted on 16 September/2020 in plenary a resolution on the proposal for a Commission regulation as regards MRLs for cycloxydim, flonicamid, haloxyfop, mandestrobin, mepiquat, Metschnikowia fructicola strain NRRL Y-27328 and prohexadione in certain products and on their surface. Commission proposal Parliament did not accept, according to the draft regulation, maximum residue levels for flonicamid would increase from 0.03 mg / kg to 0.5 mg / kg for strawberries, from 0.03 to 1 mg / kg for blackberries and raspberries, from 0.03 to 0.7 mg / kg for other small fruits and berries, from 0.03 to 0.3 mg / kg for other root and tuberous vegetables in general, but from 0.03 to 0.6 mg / kg for radishes, from 0.03 to 0.7 mg / kg for lettuce and other lettuce plants and 0.03 to 0.8 mg / kg for legumes; the maximum residue limit for haloxyfop-P in flaxseed would be increased from 0,01 to 0,05 mg / kg; and the maximum residue limit for mandestrobin would be increased from 0,01 to 5 mg / kg for grapes and from 0,01 to 3 mg / kg for strawberries. Parliament proposes that the maximum residue limit for flonicamid remains at 0.03 mg / kg; the maximum residue limit for haloxyfop-P remains at 0.01 mg / kg; and the maximum residue limit for mandestrobin remains at 0.01 mg / kg. Parliament called on the Commission to withdraw and recast the proposal.
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Fifteen EU Member States (FR, BG, HR, CY, CZ, GR, HU, IT, LV, LU, PL, RO, SK, SI, ES) have adopted a joint declaration of agriculture ministers on protein crop production in the European Union. The declaration was presented to the Council of Agriculture Ministers on 21/09/2020. Member States have encouraged self-sufficiency in protein crop production to escape dependence on imports and strengthening self-sufficiency would also help meet Farm to Fork's fertilizer reduction targets, according to ministers. The European Union currently imports about half of the volume of oilseeds used and is only 5% self-sufficient in soybean production. The common agricultural policy should help to strengthen the production of protein crops, for example through targeted support for the expansion of sown areas, or through coupled support (VCS).
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The French government plans to release up to €100 million from the recovery plan for plant protein production as part of a strategy to reduce plant protein imports. According to a press release from the FR government, this financial amount should cover ensuring protein self-sufficiency and significantly reduce the import of proteins intended for livestock breeding. France is one of the European countries that produces the most oilseed rape and sunflower seeds, but it is not self-sufficient. Although about 400,000 tonnes of soybeans were grown in the FR, another almost 600,000 tonnes were imported mainly from Brazil, the USA and Argentina.
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The European Union and China signed a trade agreement on 14/09/2020 to protect 100 European geographical indications in China and 100 Chinese geographical indications in the EU against unauthorized use and counterfeiting. The list of EU geographical indications protected in China includes products such as Cava, Champagne, Feta, Irish whiskey, Polska Wódka, Porto, Prosciutto di Parma and Queso Manchego. The agreement, which will enter into force in early 2021, will now be formally adopted by the EU Council.
More information is available here.