Fischler reveals 160m euro losses from black market bananas

Date: 07/06/01

By David Cronin

The EU's black market banana trade has cost customs officials €160 million in lost revenue over the past few years, Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler has revealed.

Responding to a parliamentary question, Fischler added that data collected by the Commission's anti-fraud office OLAF indicate that at least 210,000 tonnes of the fruit were imported illegally into the Union between 1998 and 2000.

His reply follows an OLAF investigation last year into smuggling in the Italian port of Catania. On-the-spot checks disclosed that more than 100 false import certificates had been presented to the authorities there since early 1998, resulting in the illicit entry of 160,000 tonnes of bananas from Ecuador. Legal proceedings have been initiated against an Italian firm, Hortofruticola Acese.

Europe's largest producer Fyffes has blamed Mafia-linked smuggling for a sharp drop in its profits. But Fischler said that it is extremely difficult to state if this fraud has an impact on fruit prices as there are other factors involved. These include the fact that the amount of bananas produced in Ecuador for export to Europe currently exceeds demand by about one-tenth. The import price of Ecuadorial bananas has fallen by 15% between 1996 and 2000.

Last July, the Commission set guidelines for custom officers to follow in order to curb the illegal banana trade.

The EU's black market banana trade has cost customs officials €160 million in lost revenue over the past few years, Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler has revealed.