Answer given by Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis on behalf of the European Commission
14.9.2021
The Commission is well aware of the issue raised by the Honourable Member. The possibility exists for companies of the EU tomato industry to lodge a complaint with the Commission, should they consider to be confronted with imports that are subsidised or dumped, and they suffer injury from such imports. If such complaint is duly substantiated and the complaining companies represent at least 25% of EU production, the Commission can subsequently initiate an investigation and as a result impose, if warranted, anti-dumping or countervailing measures to correct the damage caused to EU producers and re-establish fair trading conditions for the product concerned.
The EU has systems in place to ensure that imported agri-food products comply with the relevant food safety standards. In particular, Regulation (EC) No 178/2002[1] requires food intended for import into the EU to comply with the relevant food safety requirements, and Member States must carry out controls to verify compliance with the relevant rules. In addition, when cases of non-compliance are identified and require specific risk management measures, Regulation (EU) 2019/1793[2] establishes temporary increases of official border controls and special import conditions on certain food and feed from certain third countries. T he Commission reviews these measures regularly in light of available information related to risks and non-compliance.
- [1] Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety (OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1).
- [2] Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 of 22 October 2019 on the temporary increase of official controls and emergency measures governing the entry into the Union of certain goods from third countries implementing Regulations (EU) 2017/625 and (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 277, 29.10.2019, p. 89).