WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1702/96 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Maximum levels for pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables, cereals and foodstuffs
Date: 1996-06-25
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament
Subjects: agricultural product, biotechnology, environmental protection, foodstuff, pesticide residue, plant health legislation, plant health treatment, product diversification, public health, research project













EUR-Lex - 91996E1702 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91996E1702

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1702/96 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Maximum levels for pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables, cereals and foodstuffs  


Official Journal C 365 , 04/12/1996 P. 0020 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1702/96 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (25 June 1996)Subject: Maximum levels for pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables, cereals and foodstuffsCouncil Directive 90/642/EEC ((OJ L 350, 14.12.1990, p. 71. )) of 27 November 1990, which establishes the maximum percentages of pesticide residues on and in certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables, seeks to regulate the main ingredients of food through a more systematic approach than hitherto by establishing Community maximum residue levels.Does the Commission not think that in general the procedure for adopting MRL by the Council is clearing impeding the application of the directives relating to the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues? More specifically, no progress has been made so far on processed products of vegetable origin although the level of consumption of such products demands that there should be a harmonized provision providing a full guarantee for consumer health?Joint answer to Written Questions E-1700/96, E-1701/96 and E-1702/96 given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (5 September 1996)The Commission is aware of the need for the availability of adequate plant protection treatments for the cultivation of minor crops and has already taken certain initiatives to achieve this objective when establishing maximum pesticide residue levels. These measures, whilst maintaining a high level of consumer protection, allow for reduced residue trial data for certain minor crops with a low dietary intake and, where possible, for the extrapolation of data between crops.The Commission can fully agree with the necessity for research and development in the field of plant protection. Considerable research investment is undertaken by the commercial operators involved in the plant protection industry. For its part, the Community deploys considerable resources in its research and technological (RTD) programme 'Fair'. This programme is currently dealing, inter alia, with the following topics:- development of non-chemical or low-chemical methods (e.g. integrated crop management), mechanical equipment and techniques promoting practices which are more environmentally friendly and give greater protection to the environment (water, soil, landscape, etc.) to reduce contamination and erosion and increase production efficiency (including biological means of pest control and biotechnology);- improvement of non-chemical (mechanical techniques, crop management, genetic resistance) and low-chemical and biological methods of crop protection (major and minor crops) and post-harvest treatment, in particular for the most harmful organisms;- prediction of environmental fate of agrochemicals and effect on the environment and on human health.Finally, in the framework of the 5th environment action programme ((COM(94) 453 final. )), the Commission is also sponsoring a project on the sustainable use of plant protection products in order to identify appropriate instruments whereby reduced use and impact of plant protection products on the environment may be achieved.