Serious damage to the Spanish tomato sector from increased imports from Ukraine to the EU
5.3.2019
Question for written answer E-001173-19
to the Commission
Rule 130
Ernest Urtasun (Verts/ALE)
Imports of processed tomato products from Ukraine into the EU have grown considerably in recent years (from 1 897 tonnes in 2013 to 40 096 tonnes in 2017, with the zero-duty tariff quota tripling). Almost all of this growth is attributable to Agrofusión S.A., one of the ten largest tomato processors in the world.
This increase in volume has done serious damage to the Spanish and EU tomato sector, which is of crucial importance for jobs in rural areas and subject to cut-throat competition yet obliged to apply stricter labour, environmental, technological, etc. standards.
Agrofusión has also begun to build a new tomato powder production facility, which would exacerbate the existing damage.
Given that a vast swathe of the Spanish population is being penalised in favour of a vast conglomerate in Ukraine:
- 1.Does the Commission believe these tariff concessions to be justified?
- 2.Does the Commission intend to take action to remedy this situation, which has caused serious damage to the EU market, jeopardising strategic European sectors?
- 3.What does the Commission believe is the reason for the concomitant increase in exports of tomato products from Poland to the rest of the EU?