La Unió de Llauradors has asked the European Commission and the Government of Spain to suspend Turkish fruit and vegetable imports until they are audited and the results of the audit are available, given the numerous health alerts there have been on these shipments for containing active substances that are banned in the EU or for surpassing the maximum residue limits (MRLs) authorized in the EU.
After many months of repeated complaints about the numerous health alerts issued by Europe's RASFF on Turkish shipments, the EC increased the frequency of controls on these imports in November. The frequency of controls to be carried out on oranges, mandarins, clementines, Wilkings, and similar citrus and lemon hybrids, as well as on peppers and pomegranates from Turkey, increased to 20%. Controls on other products, such as hazelnuts, were also increased by up to 20 percent, while controls on pistachios and grape leaves increased by up to 50 percent. Despite the alerts, the frequency of controls was not increased for grapefruits.
The agricultural organization is calling for an increase to 50% in the frequency of physical controls and identity checks for all Turkish fruit and vegetables. They also call for an end to the tariff asymmetry, as Turkish exports only pay a 20% tariff to enter the EU and Spanish exports pay a 54% tariff to enter Turkey.
La Unió has also requested the automatic suspension of imports from countries that have not ratified the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and gender-based violence, as in the case of Turkey.
The data is devastating: almost one alert a day
It should be noted that, as of November 23 of last year, the European Commission introduced a change in the frequency of physical and identity checks on imports of fruit and vegetables, and in particular of citrus fruits from Turkey, by means of a regulation, raising the number of citrus fruits to 20%.
However, a study by La Unió based on official data and the health alerts after the entry into force of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1900 concluded that during the period between November 23, 2021, and March 6, 2022 (103 days) there were a total of 100 health alerts on citrus fruits imported from Turkey alone, i.e. almost one alert per day. Many of these alerts were issued because authorities detected the presence of methyl chlorpyrifos or chlorpyrifos in the shipments, active substances that are banned in Community territory.
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