The United Kingdom is introducing import requirements as soon as possible to protect tomato, fruit and asparagus growers.

The British Department of Agriculture, Defra, has announced measures that it was not allowed to introduce at European level because decision-making was lagging behind. These are crop risks that have been known for years, because research is years old.

Defra is called pests when Prodiplosis longifila (gall midges), Agrilus fleischeri, and Thekopsora minima, which may pose a risk to crops such as tomatoes, asparagus and blueberries, but also in trees as well. Countries where the pests occur are particularly affected by the measures. These seem to be outside the EU in particular.

One of the measures also includes an import ban for the vegetable species yacon from all destinations. This was also preceded by a risk analysis by the British Plant Health Risk Group.

The import measures will enter into force this autumn and have been submitted to the WTO.