EU Parliament approves Plant Health regulation

October 26, the European Parliament approved in second reading the new regulation on protective measures against pests of plants. The Council vote took place in July, and Member States expressed their support for the agreement reached with the other Institutions in December 2015.

The new text should entry into force at the end of the year or at the beginning of 2017, and be applied 3 years later. Meanwhile, the European Commission will work on secondary acts with the Members States and the Parliament.

In the past 2 years ESA focused its actions on the maintenance of an open system for import, as it is the case now. The final text includes the option to adopt a list of high risk plants and plant products that could be subjected to, de facto, a “closed system”. This possibility is introduced via an implementing act, it means that the Member States will present the European Commission products that should be listed as high risk. The Commission will then evaluate which products will end up in the list, and they will also launch a stakeholders consultation prior the adoption of the list.

Although ESA strongly lobbied in favour of the open system, the adopted provision is the result of long and difficult negotiations where even more adverse options were considered. Therefore we believe this compromise is overall the safer alternative for the sector. We will provide all necessary expertise to the Member States and Commission to prove seeds as safe products. ESA will continue working on the regulation, on the secondary acts, and take all the actions needed.