G/TBT/W/692  
25 November  2019 
(19-8009) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
EUROPEAN UNION - TRANSITIONAL PERIODS FOR MAXIMUM PESTICIDE  
RESIDUE LIMITS AND INTERNATIONAL CONSULTATIONS  
STATEMENT BY PANAMA TO THE COMMITTEE  
ON TECHNICAL BARRIER S TO TRADE  
13 TO 15 NOVEMBER  2019 
 
The following communication, dated 13 November  2019, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Panam a. 
 
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1.1.  Thank you, Mr Chairperson . As in past meetings of the TBT and SPS Committees, Panama is 
also concern ed by this agenda item regarding the reduction of the maximum levels of active 
substances by the European Union , and in this specific case, the active substance chlorothalonil.  
1.2.  Since 1 987, Panama has adopted maximum levels f or active substances as recommended by 
the Codex Alimentarius and internationally recognized by the Members of this forum as the standards 
for world food safety and the promotion of fair trade . While every Member is free to take the 
precautions necessary to ensure the safety of its citizens, these measures should not be 
unnecessarily strict, to the point of adversely affecting trade . It is of concern to us that inconclusive 
European Union studies  have resulted in the prohibition of the use of this substance, which is allowed 
and essential in the rest of the world.  
1.3.  Chlorothalonil  is a crucial tool  for fighting disease in plantains and banana s, such as  black 
sigatoka, caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella fijiensis Morelet . Black sigatoka initially attacks 
plantain and banana plants visibly, presenting as black spots on the leaves ; it later halves  plant 
production , and the n in most cases, it completely destroys 100 % of sales of the fruit  because no 
one wants to  eat a banana that resembles  a Dalmatian dog.  
1.4.  This disease increases wit h global warming , rain and humidity, which are realities 365 day s of 
the year f or tropical countries , quite different from the climate of Stockholm or Madrid . Panam a has 
already had to fight this fungus before, to the point where in many parts of the world black sigatoka 
was known as the Panama disease, even though we always ha d to clarify that it first appeared in 
Fiji. It was due to phytosanitary measures that we were able to fight it successfully.  
1.5.  Although at the beginning of an outbreak the leaves of the plant can be cut to prevent the 
spread of the disease, when we are  dealing with  thousand s of hectares under cultivation in the 
tropics and a disease that has spread internationally, we need to adopt even stricter phytosanitary 
measure s such as the use of chlorothalonil or other  substances, that are also in line to be banned 
by the European Union . Furthermore,  bearing in mind that, unlike other fruits such as st rawberries 
and citrus, bananas are not eaten with their  thick peel, thereby making it a fruit that is more resistant 
to contamination.  An outbreak of black sigatoka with the prevailing  global warming could wipe out 
banana production in the countries of any of the Member s here present . 
1.6.  This could disrupt the  banana  trade, cause heavy losses, and threaten the  well-being and 
employment of  thousand s of families belonging to the N gäbe Buglé  indigenous people, who are the 
main source of labour for the banana plantations of Changuinola and Puerto Armuelles . In 2017, the 
trade in bananas between Panama and the European Union exceeded 17  million  boxes, equivalent 
to USD 180 million , bananas bein g the main income -producing product in the Ngäbe Buglé Comarca . G/TBT/W/692  
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  1.7.  We do not understand the decision of the European Union, champions of the fight against 
climate change, to adopt such adverse measures . We would like to remind them that climate change 
is foug ht not only through agreements in Paris, driving Teslas and banning the use of plastic bags . 
Phytosanitary measures play a central role in the preservation  of production, tropical forests, the 
use of drinking w ater, food security, and now we are faced with  a policy that is aimed at taking away 
this instrument . 
1.8.  Mr Chair, before concluding, I would like to ask the European Union what they would do if they 
were tropical countries such as Panama facing these restrictions . Would they choose o ption A: to 
stop exp orting to the European Union, putting at risk the employment of  thousand s of farmers and 
the food security of  million s by from the loss of our productive competitiveness ? Or would they 
choose option B: to clear the tropical forests and speed up global warm ing, in order to maintain 
levels of production and employment, in compensation for the losses that would be triggered by a 
lack of phytosanitary measures?  
 
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