"On August 11, the Government of South Africa stated denounced that ports in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden were blocking South African citrus from entering the EU because they had not been subjected to cold treatment, in force in the EU since 24 June," stated MEP Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero.
"The Government of South Africa assures that it reached an agreement with the European Commission so that these 2,000 containers, which were shipped before the entry into force of the regulations, could enter the EU once they were subjected to cold treatment in the European ports where the citrus fruits had been retained," the MEP added.
Rodriguez-Piñero assured that the socialists are going to ensure that the regulations are complied with and added that there has been an exhaustive follow-up throughout the month of August to the complaint made by the Valencian citrus sector about the retention in eight European ports of orange consignments that don't meet the cold treatment requirement, having left South African ports before the regulations came into force at the end of June.
"We maintain and share the concern of our producers and exporters and, therefore, we have made efforts with the European Commission and have presented a parliamentary question to know all the details of the agreement with the South African Government," she said. "We are confident in the Commission's work and we trust the Member States that have blocked the citrus fruits in question will enforce cold treatment in European ports," she added.
Source: levante-emv.com