KARACHI: The Euro­pean Commission has warned that it would take strict action against the import of fruit and other products from specific countries, including Pakistan, if they fail to improve compliance with phytosanitary regulations by September 30 this year.

The European Commi­ssion’s Directorate-General for Health and Consumers (DG-SANCO) has informed this to the European Fresh Produce Association.

The Commission has sent a letter to share its concerns due to high number of interceptions with harmful organism to the National Plant Protection Organis­ation (NPPO) of eight countries: Pakistan (mango, pumpkin, guava, egg plant and citrus fruits), Bang­ladesh (pumpkins, aubergines and citrus fruits), Cambodia (basil, pumpkins, celery and bell pepper), Ghana (pumpkins and aubergines), Dominican Republic (squashes, eggplant and mango), Kenya (pumpkin, mango and basil), Sri Lanka (squashes, mango and guava) and Uganda (paprika).

The letter said specific actions are currently being carried out to address phytosanitary risk of certain commodities including mango and other products from specific countries such as Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Israel, South Africa, Thailand or Vietnam.

The Commission has invited each NPPO to investigate the reasons for the non-compliances with the EU legislation and to take adequate corrective actions to ensure that consignments being exported to the 28-nation bloc are free from harmful organisms.

If no measures are taken by Sept 30, the Commission is considering taking emergency measures at EU level restricting the import of the most problematic commodities.

The Commission has requested to each NPPO to send an action plan detailing the measures put in place to correct shortcomings associated with referred interceptions.

It will closely monitor the development of the situation in the mentioned countries, the Commission said.

Two mango consignments from Pakistan have already been intercepted during this season (one in June and another in July) in the UK over the issue of fruit fly infestation.

Although 234 Pakistani mango consignments were rejected last year in different European countries, the situation is graver this year as the EU banned Indian mangoes and a few vegetables in April because of fruit fly infestation, and set stricter requirements for Pakistan.

*Published in Dawn, July 20th , 2014 *