As part of the measures announced by French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal to support the agricultural sector and contain farmers' protests, France has asked the European Commission to suspend the sale of fruits and vegetables treated with thiacloprid on the European market.
Thiacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, has been banned in France since September 2018 and in the European Union since February 2021. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has classified it as carcinogenic, endocrine disrupting, and harmful to pollinators. Despite this, the French Ministry of Agriculture has stated that 'it is still used in other parts of the world to protect crops from certain insects.'
If the European Commission does not grant the request, the French authorities will consider applying a safeguard clause to suspend the sale of these products on their market. The cabinet of the Minister of Agriculture said that "the Commission could make its decision this week." However, he added, "If the Commission does not take these measures after a certain period, France could decide to implement them unilaterally."
Source: agropopular.com