tomatoes

Spanish fresh produce producer-exporter federation Fepex is set to appear before the European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions next Tuesday (9 November) to demand action to halt what it claims is the abuse of import rules by Moroccan exporters.

Representatives of the Spanish organisation will present their arguments to the committee for what they describe as the “urgent need” for the reform of the current entry price system for fruit and vegetable imports to the European Union.

In a statement, Fepex said that the system was the “only instrument that could guarantee (that exporters) respect minimum prices in the EU to avoid the flooding of markets during certain periods”.

Such flooding, it argued, would have “destructive consequences” for the income of fruit and vegetable producers both within the EU and in countries outside Europe.

The committee appearance follows on from Fepex’s submission of a complaint to the European Ombudsman in July last year denouncing the European Commission for what it claimed was its “failure” to act against allegedly fraudulent Moroccan tomato imports.