Spain: Popular Party raises alarm over Moroccan strawberries
The Spanish Popular Party (PP) has initiated a campaign against Moroccan agricultural exports, as reported on March 15th by Europa Press. The PP’s proposition comes in the wake of the discovery of a shipment of Moroccan strawberries contaminated by hepatitis A in Spain on March 4th.
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In the Spanish Chamber of Representatives, the party proposed a ban on Moroccan agricultural imports that do not meet the European Union’s threshold of residue levels. They also urged Prime Minister Sanchez, to request from the EU, the initiation of a safeguard clause process in order to protect consumers. This was a measure similar to what Madrid introduced in June 2002, against canned mandarin segments originating from China.
Popular Party members called on the Sanchez government to urge the European Food Safety Authority to implement a coherent study on agricultural products originating from third countries, primarily Morocco, further suggesting a suspension of free trade agreements until the study’s findings are released.
READ: Morocco to extend wheat campaign in 2024
Alongside these initiatives within Spain, PP members have requested the European Commission to implement urgent measures against Moroccan agricultural imports that do not comply with the EU’s standards.
Amidst these developments, the National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA) in Morocco, has announced that it has conducted analyses of strawberry samples destined for the EU market and they were all found to be negative for hepatitis A.
Europa Press/ Agencies
