Europe and international, European Union

Sustainibility and productivity : can’t have one without the other !

26 Apr 2012

ECPA (PPP companies) organized this conference at Fruit Logistica in February 2012 (already mentioned here on ForumPhyto. Presentations are available in English.

 

European regulation on plant protection products

F Arena, DG SANCO (European Commission) presented the new european regulatory framework. I aims to :

– Protect human health and environment : cut-off criteria, substitution for high risk active substances…

– maintain the competitiveness of european farming : quicker and more predictable approval and authorisation process, simplified rules for low risk and basic substances,…

– increase free movement and availibility of plant protection products in the EU: Mutual recognition, simplification for minor crops, free movement of seeds…

F Arena also presented the sustainable use directive (SUD) and insisted “the european regulation on residues guarantees a high level of protection for all EU consumers and improves  the free circulation in the EU market”

Read Francesca Arena presentation

 

PPP companies : innovation, sustainibility and productivity

S Peterka, ECPA, European PPP companies underlined the fact we need to face population growth. Crop protection has a key role both in productivity and sustainibility.

Read Stefan Peterka presentation

 

COPA-COGECA : productivité et durabilité sont les deux faces d’une même pièce

In L Peeters, COPA-COGECA (european farmers organisations) view, productivity and sustainibility are two sides of the same coin. For years, EU has been mainly focused on food standards, human healthe and environment protection. Food production itself has been taken for granted. It is now the time to reinforce the production role of farmers, and EU-Agriculture a dynamic, innovative and profitable sector.

Minor uses is an important issue which must be a priority for EU and Member States.

Read Luc Peeters presentation

 

Panel and discussion

Main topics :

– The need to accelerate solutions for minor uses and unprovided uses for speciality crops. Specific regulatory rules are implemented and will improve the situation in mid an long term. However, ther is no ressources (human or money) for a real strategy on this matter. and there is still no solution for the short term.

– The need to stop extra-regulatory retailers requirements which are not scientifically based, which jeopardize the credibility of the regulation and which are an obstacle to Goo Agriculture Practices. On this matter, read Conséquences des exigences extra-réglementaires (Agripol)on ForumPhyto, which includes linked docs in English : Agripol report in extenso (in English) and presentation of the report for ECPA members (in English)

 

 

In the general public mind, innovation, chemistry, technics, and “industrial” farming are big words and are thought as ennemies of environment and human health. Real facts are at the opposite: technical progress, new products, better sceintific knowledge of plants and their environnement, better training and information for growers, … are key supporters of environment and human health.
It is a huge task to make it clear, not only for the food chain, but also for the general public. This conference, even if it has been dedicated to the food chain, is a first step in this way.

 

 

 

Quelques photos de la conférence :

Francesca Arena DG SANCO

 

 

 

Luc Peeters COPA-COGECA

 

 

Table ronde