European Parliament blocks import of fruit and vegetables with chemical residues

Cyproconazole is a fungicidal pesticide used on grain crops, coffee, sugar beets, grapes, and peanuts. The substance has hormone-disrupting effects. 'Carbendazim' is a mutagenic substance sprayed on lemons and mandarins outside Europe.

"These substances are banned in the EU. It makes no sense to allow them in imported food. Our goal is for all farmers—both inside and outside Europe—to produce food respecting animals, our planet, and our health. That means applying the same standards to imported products as those produced in Europe," said MEP Anja Hazekamp (Party for the Animals).

The adopted objections have binding effect, meaning import products must remain free of the mentioned toxic substances. The adopted resolutions emphasize that agricultural products imported from non-EU countries must comply with the same standards as products produced within the EU to guarantee a level playing field. 

522 MEPs voted in favor of the objection to the Commission’s decision regarding cyproconazole and spirodiclofen, 127 against, and 28 abstained. For benomyl, carbendazim, and thiofanate-methyl, 516 MEPs supported the objection, 129 opposed, and 27 abstained. 

An absolute majority of at least 359 MEPs was required to reject the Commission’s decisions. The European Commission must now withdraw its proposals. MEPs call on the Commission to submit a new proposal lowering all maximum residue levels to the lowest possible limit value of 0.01 mg.