BRUSSELS – Italy's agricultural industry is seeking urgent intervention from the European Parliament to protect its industrial hemp supply chain and address the Meloni government's existential measures. A cross-party coalition, including the country's biggest farming groups, petitioned the EU parliament to condemn the “serious breach of EU regulations”.
Confagricoltura, CIA, Copagri, CNA Agroalimentare, UNCI, Liberi Agricoltori, Altragricoltura, Associazione Florovivaisti Italiani. Then there are the supply chain associations Canapa Sativa Italia, Federcanapa, Sardinia Cannabis, Assocanapa, Resilienza Italia Onlus and Canapa delle Marche. EIHA, the European Industrial Hemp Association and France's UPCBD are also joining the call. Together they asked the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament (PETI) to “verify compliance with Italian regulations” and the “European Commission” (already in June last year) to assess compliance with the EU. (which had sent a letter to). Law.
The petition states that the amendments to the Security Decree, which effectively bans the production and trade of hemp inflorescences and their derivatives, and the Ministerial Decree of June 27, which classifies CBD oral compositions as narcotic substances, “are fundamental to EU law. It violates the principles.” In particular, the free movement of goods,” and the legal doctrine of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which in its November 2020 judgment “has already decided that CBD is not a narcotic substance.” Furthermore, in a judgment dated September 11, the Lazio Regional Administrative Court suspended the Ministerial Decree on CBD.
In a joint press release issued in parallel, the agricultural organizations recall that they are talking about a sector that employs around 15,000 people and generates an annual turnover of 500 million euros. Thousands of companies that have “legally invested in this sector, purchased specific machinery, developed infrastructure and entered into long-term contracts in accordance with current law” are at risk.
The petition filed with the PETI Committee goes further, calling on the “Italian authorities to suspend the implementation of the offending regulations” and “to engage in dialogue between the Commission and Italy to resolve the violations.” We are seeking to promote the The associations say they are very prepared to re-file the case at the European Court of Justice to “challenge the Italian government for the economic damage that these regulations will cause.”
Italy's cannabis industry quickly found support in Cristina Guarda, Green MP and vice-chair of the petitions committee. “I have been fighting this fight for nine years in the Regional Parliament of Veneto, and I will continue to fight it as a parliamentarian and to engage in dialogue with all members of the Petitions Committee to ensure that this complaint is supported by intellectual, scientific and professional knowledge. “We will work hard to ensure that this is dealt with seriously, with integrity and political integrity,” the AVS senator promised. Guarda also criticized the Italian coalition government's “moralistic and demonizing propaganda” and highlighted the “anxiolytic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties” of hemp, including CBD. .
Valentina Palmisano, an MP from the Five Star Movement and a member of the petitions committee, echoed this sentiment, saying the petition was “another message calling on the government to end these disastrous measures as soon as possible.” are. The Five Star delegation had already submitted questions to the European Commission in August. From now on, the petition must be evaluated and declared accepted. At that point, the PETI Committee may, at its discretion, invite representatives of the supply chain to the plenary debate and possibly write to the EU Executive requesting comments on the issue.
English version by Withub translation service
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