News

On 13/11/2019, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published new scientific opinions to help the EU update measures to address animal welfare risks. One of the opinions concerns the whole process of slaughtering poultry from receiving and unloading poultry through stunning to bleeding and killing, EFSA proposes to introduce a number of preventive and remedial measures. According to the report, the biggest risk is employee misconduct, so EFSA recommends thorough staff training for the various stages of slaughter. In addition, EFSA will publish opinions on pigs (March 2020), cattle (June 2020), and other animal species (December 2020).
More information is available here.

Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) during a meeting of the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) on 7 - 8/11/2019 in Geneva opposed the European Union's position on a policy change on maximum residue limits and consumer protection for a wide range of pesticides used in the cultivation of citrus fruits and bananas, which have been used for a long time without causing problems. A total of 17 WTO members, including the USA, Canada, India and many South American countries, have expressed concern about the potential negative impact, especially on banana producers in developing countries, as there are currently no other effective alternatives to plant protection.
More information is available here.

France announced plans to substantially reduce the use of glyphosate by early 2021, and a total ban on use should come into effect in early 2023. Last week, the French government published a report on progress towards this goal. The results of the report indicate that it is quite difficult to ascertain exactly how much of the active substance is used, and the report also highlights a number of other obstacles to reaching a ban on the use of glyphosate. According to the report, progress towards the target is therefore still insufficient.
More information is available here.

The European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, has asked the European Commission to publish a list of countries that are blocking the adoption of guidelines in the Bee Guidance Document. Guidelines were presented by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2013, but Member States have not yet agreed on criteria for introducing stricter rules on the use of pesticides harmful to bees. New guidelines would tighten current EU legislation, as the EU and national authorities would have to take into account the long-term effects of pesticides on pollinator populations. The position of the Member States was to be published by the Commission by 10/08/2019, the Ombudsman extended the deadline. Both NGOs and the Greens in the European Parliament insist on speeding up the implementation of the guidelines, Member States' positions should be public, according to environmental organizations, and be published without further delay. However, the European Commission refused to publish a list of countries that are blocking the adoption of the document last week - according to available information; these are 16 EU Member States. The Commission stated that the work in EU committees must remain secret under the current EU legislation.

Last week, a British NGO representing farmers (NFU) presented a list of agricultural and food requirements for trade negotiations following the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union, the list should be presented to the new government, which will be elected in mid-December 2019. to ensure the import of food of the same quality as domestic production - representatives worry in particular about the effects of imports of cheap hormone-treated beef from the US or chicken-treated chicken from Brazil. NFU President Minette Batters also supported the strengthening of the use of GMO crops, which could help Britain reduce dependence on soybean imports.