in Europe we have access to a
continuous supply of food that is healthy affordable
and safe
this is possible
thanks to modern agricultural practices
and strict European laws.
Pesticides have strict rules to manage their use
these rules are there to protect the
farmer the consumer
and the environment.
The European Food Safety Authority States
"In the EU no pesticides can be used
unless it has been scientifically
established that they have no harmful
effects on consumers
workers are bystanders they do not
damage to the environment
and they are sufficiently effective."
So what's the problem
well no problem when EU approved
pesticides are used;
however, increasing quantities of fake
pesticides are being produced
and sold by criminals around the world.
Pesticides are a high value good
they are essential tools for farmers
so it is perhaps no surprise that
there's a lucrative market in illegal
counterfeit products. 
The global trade in fake products
goes beyondhandbags and sunglasses.
Like all fakes
counterfeit pesticides are produced to make a quick profit
with no regard for health and safety.
They contain unknown combinations of substances which do not have a seal of approval.
How do counterfeit pesticides even get in to Europe?
The mainstreaming of technology and legal loopholes
make the life of illegal traders and
counterfeiters all the easier
this is serious organised Crime.
The vast majority of illegal pesticides
are made in China
and transported to europe using false
documentation. 
They arrive in Europe
via land, air and sea
often to be repackaged and
shipped to the final destination with
new
but equally fake documents and product
labels.
The transport of falsely labeled chemicals
poses a very real threat to health and safety
Up to 10 percent of pesticides on the
market in Europe are illegal.
Once re-packaged with
professional-looking labels
it can be difficult to spot a fake.
The best way to avoid buying fake pesticides
is to use an accredited distributor.
The farmer and his/her land usually take the biggest hit
losing money on a
cheap product that doesn't protect the crop
as intended
or worse, destroys it.
But potential risks
extends the farmer's health, the environment, and potential for soil damage serious enough
to cause problems for future
harvests.
If we prevent fake pesticides from
entering the EU
they will not reach the market,
so we need to empower customs officials
because we need to stop legal products
entering the EU
and safely dispose of them to prevent
re-entry.
We need to
enable cooperation between pesticide
regulators
and customs officials, because it takes
expertise
and teamwork to identify and block the
import
of illegal pesticides.
