At a meeting of the Special Committee discussing the 6299/2002 bill on phytosanitary pesticides on Tuesday (08), MEPs debated the vote on the Luiz Nishimori (PR-PR) report. At the time, lawmakers opposed to the new legislation, which intends to modernize the regulation of agricultural defenses in the country, filed applications in an attempt to reverse the order of work to obstruct the progress of the session, which ended from the beginning of the agenda of the Chamber of Members. The report was not read.
Two applications were voted on. Deputy Alessandro Molon (Rede-RJ) requested the reversal of the order of business, but the request was rejected by a nominal majority. The second, approved by a symbolic majority, was introduced by Congressman César Halum (PRB-TO), a member of the Parliamentary Front of the Agriculture and Livestock (FPA), and required the reversal of the agenda so that the report was first appreciated.
Nishimori said that the proposal presented had intense debate in the last two years, but there is still room for further discussion. “I am sure that we have reached the best proposal for society, but I am prepared to receive concrete and well-prepared contributions and suggestions,” said the rapporteur. He also countered the information that Brazil is one of the countries that consumes the most pesticide in the world. According to Nishimori, in proportion to the use of agrochemicals for the amount of cultivated land, Brazil lags behind countries like Japan, Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom.
“A recent study by the Universidade Estadual Paulista shows that Brazil is in 7th place in proportion to the amount of cultivated land, behind countries like Japan, Germany, France and the United Kingdom,” said the rapporteur. He added that if the analysis is by the volume of food produced, the country falls to 11th in the ranking of the use of pesticides, and are ahead of us Argentina, United States, Australia and Spain.
During the meeting, a third request, also tabled by Mr Alessandro Molon, called for the withdrawal of the report from the Commission’s agenda. As a result of the opening of the agenda, the vote was suspended and the sitting was suspended.
Other side
Members of the Environmental Front said that there was still a lack of debate on the issue before the report was voted on. The representatives defended that the proposal is unconstitutional, besides bringing risks to the health of the population, due to the use and exacerbated consumption of the products in the Country. Created two years ago, the Special Commission deals with the new regulatory framework of the agricultural defenses and is presided over by Mrs Tereza Cristina (DEM-MS). Twelve deliberative meetings, nine public hearings and one seminar were held. The debates were attended by universities, scientists, physicians, representatives of federal and national regulatory bodies and international, society and agricultural entities.
“We spent two years listening to society, sectors and all stakeholders. The debate has always been encouraged in this Committee. We can not allow “passionate” speeches to interfere in a technical discussion that modernizes and brings Brazil closer to the international standard of agricultural development, “said Tereza Cristina. Deputy Nilson Leitão (MT), in opposition to criticisms made by parliamentarians opposed to the debate, explained that there is no production without the use of agricultural pesticides in the country, whether organic or in large-scale production. According to Sérgio Souza (MDB-PR), the vice president of the FPA in the Southern Region, the rapporteur who wants to improve the current legislation, almost 30 years ago, wants to guarantee food security.
“We want a law that gives more security to the food that the Brazilian consumes.” Souza also refuted data presented by deputies of the Frente Ambientalista about the consumption of products in Brazil. “Nor is it possible to reach these absurd levels of liter intake per person, even less in food,” said the deputy.
Understand the debate
Among the proposals of the PL, is the change in the evaluation criterion for the registration of new products with the inclusion of the Risk Assessment in addition to the Assessment of Hazards currently used. Another point that the report addresses is the delay in the process of registering new pesticides. Today, more than 2,400 products await analysis. The new legislation increases the review period of the current 120 days (which is not fulfilled) for a year, without removing any competence from the responsible bodies, with the computerization and integration of the system.
In addition, the report deals with so-called Mineral Crops, which are not covered by the current law. They are smaller productions like parsley, zucchini, chili, chives and others exploited by family undertakings. “It is our responsibility as legislators to ensure that the law meets the demands of innovation in the field without leaving aside the food safety that Brazilians consume,” says the rapporteur.