India's boycott of European oil and wine
24.7.2014
Question for written answer E-005988-14
to the Commission
Rule 130
Mara Bizzotto (NI)
India is currently implementing a tough trade protection measure and is boycotting certain European food products. The Indian authorities have, in fact, decided to enforce more stringently their rules on food fraud and labelling. Indian Customs have therefore seized, and blocked in their ports, tonnes of food and alcohol from Europe because their labels do not indicate the precise content of salt, as prescribed by Indian health legislation. In Mumbai alone, to give but one example, 35 containers full of Italian and Spanish olive oil and hundreds of bottles of wine have, for two whole months, been crammed into warehouses that are not suitable for preserving the products, which by now will have almost certainly perished. This restrictive interpretation of customs regulations by the Indian authorities, to the detriment of European products, was adopted after the EU halted and then banned imports of the Alphonso variety of mango.
Can the Commission therefore answer the following questions:
- 1.Will it take action to resolve the situation and protect free competition?
- 2.Will it also provide financial assistance to European producers who have suffered damage?