Products of high nutritional value are grown on arable land alongside the river in the Prefecture of Evros, which are then exported to European and international markets.

According to Members of the Greek Parliament for Evros Mr Anastasios Dimoschakis, Mr Christos Dermentzopoulos and Mr Stavros Keletsis, Turkish crop spraying aircraft are illegally spraying Turkish cultivated land alongside the river in Evros with pesticides banned in the EU, a large proportion of which end up in Greece.

As a result, there is a high risk of agricultural products from Evros being deemed unacceptable for export by the customs authorities in the importing countries, with corresponding adverse effects on trade.

In view of this:

1. What action does the Commission intend to take to prevent the illegal spraying by Turkish aircraft of arable land alongside the river in the Prefecture of Evros?

2. What impact does this illegal spraying by Turkish aircraft have on the debate on the modernisation of the EU-Turkey customs union?

Read the question here.

Read the answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission here.