Niveau juridique : Union européenne
Texte de la question :
« Tomato and pepper producers — principally in Crete but also elsewhere — are particularly worried about a highly aggressive virus, ToBRFV, which is both a threat and a danger to their crops.
The virus has devastating effects on both greenhouse and outdoor crops and can be transmitted by contaminated seeds, plants, fruits or even through contact with an infected plant. It can also remain infectious for long periods. The virus takes the form of yellow or brown spots which appear on leaves and causes fruit deformation, rendering it unsellable.
In view of the damage to crops caused by the virus in EU Member States, such as Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, and other countries, such as Turkey, the USA and China:
1. What measures will the Commission take to combat and prevent the spread of the virus?
2. Would it be possible to compensate affected producers through European funds under Regulation (EU) No 652/2014? »
Réponse de Mme Kyriakides au nom de la Commission :
« The Commission has already taken measures against the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus(ToBRFV) with the following legal acts: Commission Implementing Decision 2019/16151 in 2019 and, most recently, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/11912, which entered into application on 15 August 2020 and repealed the previous Decision. The new measures detail rules for internal movement of seeds and plants for planting, import requirements and the sampling and testing methods for the detection of the disease.Under Regulation (EU) No 652/2014, grants might be attributed under certain conditions to Member States for annual and multiannual surveys programmes (Articles 19-24) and in case of an outbreak the Member States could apply for an Emergency Measures dossier (Articles 16-18), for pests such as the ToBRFV. Member States may apply for EU financial contribution in respect of all the measures described in the Implementing Decision 2015/789, in case of outbreaks. Since 1 January 2017, Member States have the possibility to apply for compensation to the owners concerned for the value of the destroyed plants, plant products or other objects. In view of the increase in the frequency of phytosanitary damage, a long-term solution regarding the calculation of the value of marketed production (VMP) of producer organisations in the fruit and vegetables sector was adopted by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/743 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/8913. Under certain conditions, the VMP is deemed to represent 85% of its value in the previous reference period. »
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