LONDON: The current legislation suspending imports of certain products from Ghana expires at the end of 2016. An EU audit took place in September 2016 which has shown that there are still significant shortcomings in the export system in Ghana and in addition EU member states (including the UK) are continuing to intercept harmful organisms on Ghanaian material.
As a result it is likely that this legislation will be extended for a further period (possibly a year, but to be decided). This applies to imports of plant material (other than seeds) of: Capsicum (sweet and Chili peppers), Lagenaria (bottle gourd), Luffa, Momordica L (bitter gourd), Solanum L. (including aubergines), other than S. lycopersicum L (tomato). As a result of a significant reduction in the interception of harmful organisms on Indian material and evidence of improvements to the phytosanitary control of exports from India, it is proposed to let the current EU legislation suspending 4 products (Colocasia sp, Momordica sp, Solanum melongena and Trichosanthes sp) expire at the end of 2016.
