Allister questions Council of Ministers on Pesticides proposals
23 October 2008
Jim Allister (NI) during Question Time to the EU Council of Ministers –
“What is it that the Council has to fear about a proper impact assessment so that we might know the real impact of your proposals on food production in Europe? This affects both producers and consumers.”
“Producers and consumers have a lot to lose if pesticides, which presently are vital to crop production, are removed with no available substitute. What, for example, are potato-growers in northern Europe with their wet climate to do when there is no substitute to deal with potato blight? Are we simply to say ‘Too bad’? Are we to say to our consumers, ‘Let’s import from countries which have no regard for pesticide controls’ ”?
“Really, is it not time to reconsider and to make a proper impact assessment on these proposals?”
ENDS
