“Fair Trade” Fruits and Vegetables in Europe. David del Pino

If you are interested in the well-known concept of Fair Trade, do not read this article. This article is justice in trade of fruits and vegetables. That is, it is of equal treatment before the law of all those involved in this business.

But let’s start with the latest news in the sector.

Anda sector (and a lot of political activists who have never approached the field) outraged with the news (and leaks) on the development of TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership – transatlantic trade and investment partnership) without realizing account the possible injustice (already seen) and different treatment to producers (and harm to consumers), already exists in Europe (among EU countries and with third countries).

The European Commission is considering a ban on use 75 active ingredients of crop protection. And this fact has rekindled a sense of injustice used to be a currency in international trade agreements sector.

I mean … Imagine that these active substances are banned by the European Union. Clearly European farmers can not use them, but what about the farmers outside the EU who direct their products to our markets. As these outside producers, why will not apply the same phytosanitary protocols. And this is the great injustice.

We understand everything that have to do without substances that are harmful to the environment, consumers or farmers; but no one can understand, it is that we apply different rules that may impair your own farmers. This is the world upside down. The supposed free market is restricted to benefit farmers outside the EU. Does anyone understand it?

Well, this is not a hypothetical case involving these 75 substances. This is something that already happens with many crop protection substances and their application by producers outside the EU. And what it is even more poignant: occurs between producers from countries outside the EU, despite attempts, in recent years, harmonization of regulations.

Take a recent example. Dates ago there was a health scare related to the interception of a consignment of tomatoes from Almería in the Netherlands exceeded the MRL (Maximum Residue Limit) of a substance known as “ethephon”. The substance in question is banned in Spain for tomato while is authorized in the EU and in the Netherlands. What is an incident in the Netherlands for exceeding MRLs in Spain is an attack on public health (for using prohibited phytosanitary). Equally before the law?

In Spain, especially, and although it is fair to say that it has improved in recent years, the process of registration of new active ingredients is extended to more than two years and if your application is for use in minority cultures, the company’s plant protection products and he even bother to register in the country (to see if it starts to properly operate the mutual recognition of records).

This creates dramatic differences in the lists of permitted substances between EU producers. And it has no practical sense, since new substances are mostly very low environmental, very low or no toxicity and ease of application impact. Prohibit existing and blocked the new, while we allow “all” always occurring outside our borders.

Surprisingly, it has left us a powerful ally. Much of the Great Distribution is not the work of allowing differences between suppliers and does not care whether produced in Europe or overseas. I can not misunderstand.

This part of the mass distribution is even more interested in reducing the active substances European Commission, but guarantees equal treatment. And they have not been there, want all their suppliers work with the same environmental standards and respect for the rights of workers.

I think it is clear that justice must be based on equal treatment. No privileges are required, we want the same rules for everyone. And it is curious, that is not being Law which encourages, but a part of the Great Distribution.

David Del Pino, general manager of Granada La Palma SCA and blogger www.daviddelpino.com