EU Could Restrict Imports of Fruits and Vegetables Beginning Sept. 1

Some fruits and vegetables could face new restrictions on importation into the European Union beginning Sept. 1, according to blog post by Canadian law firm Tereposky & DeRose. That’s the date an EU regulation issued in March takes effect, setting new import requirements for some fruits and vegetables, including exporting country certification, many of which have not yet been met, the law firm said.

For example, the March regulation “requires the submission of ‘official statements,’ supported by certifications and other evidence, to confirm that apples, cherries, pears and cranberries ‘originating in Canada, Mexico and the USA’ are either free from a certain moth larva or “fruitworm” … or subjected to an ‘effective treatment to ensure freedom’ from the pest,” the blog post said. The EU had already set requirements for “official statements” and supporting documents beginning in 2000, but in its March 2019 Directive extended them to a new set of plants, fruits and vegetables.

Starting on Sept. 1, “fruits and vegetables from countries that have not yet provided the “official statements” and supporting documents required under the Amendments will be subject to the import ban mandated under the Directive,” Tereposky & DeRose said. Lists of “official statements” so far received by the EU indicate that many have not been submitted for various plants, fruits and vegetables. For example, a report on the U.S. shows that required documentation has not yet been submitted for several fruits.