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The upcoming week, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) will publish the final report on the issue of dual quality food on the EU market. According to the JRC's preliminary information, it is confirmed that there are a number of identical brand products with different composition in different Member States in the European Union's single market, but the JRC concludes that this is not only a problem in the eastern EU countries but across the EU. The European Institutions reached an interim agreement on the Consumer Package in April 2019, which also includes a provision limiting the occurrence of dual food quality across the EU.

In its statement of 14/06/2019, Bayer Company promised to spend around EUR 5 billion on research and development of other active substances for plant protection in the next decade. The aim is to offer growers other options for plant protection than currently widespread Roundup. Bayer is also preparing for the case in which the glyphosate use license in the EU would not be extended after December 2022. The latest license extension was approved in 2017. Bayer is committed to reducing environmental impact by 30% by 2030, and to increasing transparency and sustainability.
More information is available here.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is assessing the safety of chlorpyrifos, a widely used insecticide for, for example, oranges and broccoli. License for chlorpyrifos use in the EU expires on 31/01/2020. According to the results of the EFSA assessment to date, chlorpyrifos is a neurotoxic agent and is therefore hazardous to human health. The final report will be made public by the end of 2019.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a report on phosphate stating that the residues of toxic cadmium contained therein may exceed values that are safe for human health in food. According to the International Cadmium Association, people are mostly exposed to cadmium by pesticide-treated food. Based on this report, the European Commission will discuss possibilities how to reduce cadmium in food.
EFSA report is available here.

Agriculture Ministers of PL, IE, FR and BE expressed their concern about the current state of negotiations with the Mercosur countries in a letter sent to the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, on 17/06/2019. Agriculture Ministers disagree with further increase in agricultural product quotas, and demand from Mercosur compliance with food safety standards and animal welfare. The Polish Minister of Agriculture pointed out that the governments of the EU Member States had not yet received the full text of the agreement or the list of proposed duties. Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Phil Hogan stressed that Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner for Trade, is trying to convince Mercosur representatives to reduce their demands, especially for beef and poultry, sugar and ethanol.
More information is available here.