Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001849/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Roberto Vannacci (PfE)
Due to rising Rapid Alert System[1] notifications based on analyses of unprocessed or semi-processed pepper at EU borders, the Commission, under the Official Controls Regulation[2], has reinforced controls on black pepper imports from Brazil, creating a de facto sanitary trade barrier.
Salmonella poses a serious risk in ready-to-eat foods, and Italian and European spice processors recognise that it must be eliminated, along with E. coli, Listeria and other natural agricultural contaminants. Hence, they have invested heavily in steam sterilisation equipment, making sterilisation a key hazard control step.
Despite these efforts, increased official controls have led to a sharp drop in Brazilian pepper imports. The way the analysis is performed makes it unnecessary to perform sterilisation in the EU, giving an advantage to non-EU operators who import raw pepper, sterilise it abroad, and re-export it to the EU, occasionally using dilution techniques or other practices banned in the EU, creating unfair competition for European spice processors.
Considering the above, can the Commission answer the following:
- 1.Is it aware that Brazilian pepper is diverted to other countries and re-enters the EU in spice blends?
- 2.What is its position on the unfair competition faced by Italian and European spice processors?
- 3.Does it intend to treat black pepper as a raw material and allow clearance after port sterilisation, as in the US?
Submitted: 7.5.2025