The Export Council of Agricultural Crops organized a workshop on Tuesday, to demonstrate the latest developments in phytosanitary requirements for agricultural crops exported to European Union (EU) countries.
Mona Mehrz, Deputy Minister of Agriculture for Livestock, Poultry and Fish, observed that the EU represents the largest overall importer and exporter of goods to Egypt, with the total exchange of trade amounting to US$26 billion in 2017.
The total volume of Europe’s investments in the Egyptian market reached US$ 15 billion in that year.
Mehrez stated the Ministry of Agriculture’s willingness to maintain decent agricultural practices, regularly update its production and preparation methods, and export safe and healthy products to the northwards continent.
According to the European Commission’s website, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures are “often necessary to protect human, animal and plant life or health, including to protect them from risks arising from imported goods”.
It adds that these measures “should be based on the WTO [World Trade Organization] SPS Agreement, international standards, recommendations or guidelines”, or “scientific principles”.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm.
