increased pressure on the European Union to defend the interests of its fruit and vegetable producers. In a meeting of the Joint Hispano-Franco-Italian Committee on Fruits and Vegetables held in Rome in April, Fepex issued a number of demands, which included stricter regulation of the EU’s entry price system, greater leniency in pesticide use, and amelioration of the EU’s crisis management policy.An essential request was for the new EU entry price system for fresh fruit and vegetables, set to come into effect on 1 October 2014, to be scrupulously enforced so that efficiency is guaranteed. Fepex, which was representing Spain at the meeting, said the current system was ineffective as it failed to prevent countries such as Morocco from selling large volumes of produce in the EU at prices below the minimum entry price established by the EU-Morocco Association Agreement.
The new system, which has been fiercely contested by the Moroccan officials, is designed to bring greater transparency to imports and prevent countries from eschewing import duties.
Fepex also complained that EU restrictions of pesticide-use are curtailing the competitiveness of producers, and are unfair on the market. It called for the creation of a phytosanitary working group made up of the plant health authorities in the three countries to examine the situation, and propose solutions.
