European Union (EU) Shifts Restriction Placed on Nigeria’s Beans to 2022 Over Failure to Implement Food Safety

The European Union (EU) has extended the ban placed on beans coming from Nigeria to 2022 over the failure of the Federal Government to implement the submitted food safety action plan.

In 2015, the EU Safety Authority had banned beans coming from Nigeria because of the presence of dichlorvos pesticide of between 0.03mg per kg and 4.6mg/kg, far above the accepted 0.01mg/kg.

The EU Safety Authority later extended the import restriction on dried beans from Nigeria until June 2019 under the CN codes 0713 35 00 and 0713 90 00, saying the continuous presence of dichlorvos is impossible to achieve in a short time given the degree of compliance of the union food law requirements on pesticide residues.

“In February 2018, Nigeria submitted a new action plan and stated that its objective was to control and streamline in particularly dried beans, strengthen the legal and regulatory environment and build fundamentals for quality production of dried beans,” Jean-Claude Juncker, president, EU commission said in a statement made available to press.

“However, the Commission understands that Nigeria has not yet implemented that action plan, nor granted any budgetary means for its implementation,” Juncker said.

“The stage of implementation by Nigeria of the action plan as regards the integrated pest management and maximum residue levels of pesticides, do not allow the conclusion that Union requirements as regards pesticide residues on the relevant dried beans are met,” he added.

He further stated that the restriction should be extended for an additional period of three years to enable Nigeria implement necessary measures and provide the required guarantees.

“Therefore, it shall apply until 30 June 2022,” he added.