Subject: Black spot (Phyllosticta citricarpa) found on consignments of citrus fruit from Egypt and South Africa
According to the information provided by the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), a consignment of oranges from Egypt infected with black spot (Phyllosticta citricarpa) was detected recently.
Black spot was also detected by RASFF on citrus fruit from South Africa twenty-two times in June and July 2023 alone.
According to EFSA, Phyllosticta citricarpa is a priority quarantine pest that is perfectly adapted to the Mediterranean climate and is ravaging in Tunisia. In view of the restrictions on phytosanitary products put in place by the European Union, which would prevent an adequate fight against this plant disease:
1. What measures does the Commission intend to take to prevent the entry of black spot into the European Union from Egypt and South Africa and its possible spread within the EU?
2. Given the seriousness of this threat, will the Commission carry out inspections at source in order to gauge the impact of black spot in Egypt and South Africa and avoid any impact on European production?
3. Does the Commission intend to increase inspections or even suspend imports from Egypt and South Africa in view of the serious risk posed by black spot?
Submitted: 8.9.2023
Answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission (27 October 2023)
Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 (1) includes specific requirements for import of citrus fruit against citrus black spot. In addition, temporary measures are in place for imports of citrus from Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe, reinforced in 2022 in terms of traceability, sampling, and controls.
The Commission discusses and agrees with Member States every month at the Standing Committee of Plant Animals Food and Feed the way forward in relation to the import non-compliances with the applicable rules. Member States carry out annual surveys for citrus black spot.
There has only been one non-compliance on citrus from Egypt due to citrus black spot. The Commission investigated this sole finding with the Egyptian authorities who provided the results of their surveys, demonstrating the absence of the pest from their territory.
Based on this information, the Commission will monitor closely the situation and will consider an audit, if deemed necessary. South Africa was audited in September 2022.
Some shortcomings were identified in terms of inspections, sampling, and verification procedures. South Africa has submitted an action plan to address those shortcomings.
According to Regulation (EU) 2022/2389 (2) on frequency rates, citrus fruits are subject to 100% identity and physical checks at import, except for those referred to in Annex I of that regulation.
The number of non-compliances is a criterion for deciding the frequency of those checks. An import ban for Egypt based on only one finding of citrus black spot cannot be justified.
As regards South Africa, an evaluation at annual level for the imports of citrus fruits is carried out at the end of the trade season.
1 ∙ ⸱ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02019R2072-20230809&qid=1695289614485
2 ∙ ⸱ https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32022R2389&qid=1695292904290