Blockade on imports of tangerines from Albania to the EU due to high residues

Serious complaints have been made about the presence of dangerous pesticide residues in tangerines (clementines) produced in Albania and exported to the European Union. Several EU countries, including Croatia, the Czech Republic, Italy and Lithuania, which imported the fruit from Albania, have returned the consignments at the border after analysis. Even non-EU Kosovo has announced control measures for Albanian tangerines. The consignments, which were registered with the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), reported detections of the substances Chlorpyrifos and Phosmet. From late November to early December, RASFF has continuously reported detections of these substances in consignments of clementines from Albania. Although the use of these substances has been banned in both the European Union and Albania, controls appear to be ...