Copa & Cogeca urged MEPs in Brussels July 12 to approve the draft report by Ms Gàll-Pelcz on the review of the EU fertilizer regulation, which is set to be voted on by European Parliaments Internal market and Consumer Protection Committee this week.
The review aims to harmonise rules across the EU for marketing fertilising products on the EU market like mineral, organic and controlled release fertilizers marked EU.
But Copa and Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen expressed serious concerns about the fact that if mineral fertilizers are not strictly defined under the rules, the quality of the product will be reduced.
“We want a clear definition of mineral fertilizers and the indication on the nitrogen forms and the phosphorus solubility in mineral fertilising products. We support the amendments tabled in the Committee to amend the initial Commission’s proposals”, Pesonen insists.
“The controlled release fertilizers have also become vital in ornamental and vegetable horticulture and they have many environmental benefits. But the Commission has proposed fixing criteria for the decomposition of binding polymers that are not compatible with the function of biodegradable polymers. We consequently support the compromise amendment 9 on CMC 10 in the draft Opinion tabled by Parliaments’ Agriculture Committee to adjust the
Commission’s proposal on controlled release fertilizers,” he adds.
Copa and Cogeca also welcome as a step forward the EU Commissions’ new rules to boost the use of organic and waste-based fertilizers but argue that they do not get to the core of the problem and more realism is needed. We also welcome the fact that this proposal prolongs the scope of the EU fertilizers regulation to include organic fertilizers so that farmers in Europe will have a wider choice of fertilizers and better access. But the new rules will not get to the bottom of problem or have a big impact, he warned.
“Compromise amendments by MEPs to both the draft opinions are positive move” Pesonen stresses.
The vote is set to take place on July 13.
For details, see Copa and Cogecas position paper (FER(16)3924) on the website.
