EPAGMA news

NEW: 05 May 10 Peat and horticulture industries support the re-launch of the EU single market by setting a foundation to the harmonization of European growing media rules Peat and horticulture industries support the re-launch of the EU single market by setting a foundation to the harmonization of European growing media rules In the light of the EU single market re-launch, representatives of national growing media associations and key peat producers from across Europe met in Brussels on Wednesday 5 May 2010 to assess the progress made concerning the rules aiming at a single market for growing media, eliminating trans-boundary obstacles to growers and their suppliers. The 3rd Growing Media Forum jointly supported the objective to make further steps to ensure a well functioning internal market for the growing media trade. "Industry is convinced about the benefits of the EU internal market with its aim to harmonise rules across Europe and to cut red tape in the implementation of these rules," says Matti Hilli, Chairman of the European Peat and Growing Media Association (EPAGMA). "Together with EU and national regulators, we have to ensure that we can make use of the tools provided by the EU internal market and maximize the growing media business benefits through the avoidance of barriers to trade in the EU." The current situation of varying rules in all EU member states has proved to create serious obstacles to intra-EU trade due to different requirements in place for the products and their labeling in each country.
22 Dec 09 EPAGMA companies commit to Code of Practice for Responsible Peat Management The European Peat and Growing Media Assocation - EPAGMA has committed to a Code of Practice (CoP) defining the principles for responsible peatland management for the first stages of the production chain including site selection and preparation, peat extraction, and after-use of peatlands. All EPAGMA members have signed the Code and have agreed to apply the core principles and commitments of the Code in their operations. EPAGMA encourages other peat producing companies to adopt this Code. The EPAGMA Code of Practice for Responsible Peat Management is available here .
11 Sep 09 EPAGMA, the European Peat and Growing Media Association, welcomes progress made at international seminar on marketing regulations for fertilisers, soil improvers and growing media in Europe which emphasised the urgent need for harmonisation at European level. On 9 September 2009, an International seminar on marketing regulations for fertilisers, soil improvers and growing media in Europe taking place in Paris emphasised the urgent need for harmonisation at European level. EPAGMA attended the seminar and fully supports the call for harmonisation. The seminar was organised at the initiative of the French Ministries of Agriculture, Food, Industry and Consumption in partnership with ANPEA, the French national professional association of fertilisers and amendments and RITTMO Environment, the French research centre for organic fertilisers and agro-environment. Around 280 representatives of National Administrations and the Industry (Suppliers, Importers, Distributors) from 20 EU countries as well as from the European Commission were present at the seminar. Reporting on the seminar, ANPEA and RITTMO stressed that the barriers to smooth and fair intra-EU trading of fertilizers and growing media induced by the diversity of national regulations across the member states of the EU were underlined during discussions. They also reported that the need to have regulation that also guarantees sufficient information to the end-users but also the preservation of the environment, the human and vegetal health was fully acknowledged. (Press release) ANPEA and RITTMO concluded that "all stakeholders fully supported the need for harmonisation of marketing regulations for fertilizers, soil improvers and growing media in Europe." The respective merits and drawbacks of the "mutual recognition option" as compared to a fully harmonized European regulation were also discussed. EPAGMA expressed its support for harmonisation of growing media legislation at the seminar and believes that harmonisation should be carried out separately for all product groups. Programme and presentations of the seminar are available here: www.anpea.fr
21 Apr 09 Industry calls for harmonization of European growing media rules Representatives of national growing media associations and key producers from all over Europe met in Brussels on Tuesday 21 April 2009 to address the role of harmonization of growing media in the European market. After presenting serious evidence about the current EU intra-trade obstacles, national associations and producers issued a joint letter to the European Commission calling, as a first step, for immediate harmonization of growing media labelling in the European Union's single market. Read Full Joint Letter
18 Dec 08 EPAGMA welcomes the adoption of the Renewables Directive by the European Parliament The European Peat and Growing Media Association, EPAGMA, welcomes yesterday′s backing by the European Parliament of the Council agreement on the "Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources", which is now ready for final adoption. The Directive allows the use of peat and other biomass obtained from already-drained peatlands as a raw material for the production of renewable energy. However, the energy produced from peat used as a raw material will not be counted in the national renewable energy target. "For the peat industry as well as for the regions in which this industry mainly operates it is important to have the role of peat recognized in ensuring local energy supply and therewith contributing to energy security in Europe," says Matti Hilli, Chairman of EPAGMA. "In this context, we look forward to contributing actively in achieving the objectives of the strategic energy review in the EU." EPAGMA member companies - who are fully committed to sustainable production of peat - are pleased by the differentiation now anchored into EU legislation between different peatlands. The organisation envisages a close cooperation with the European Commission regarding the development of methodologies to assess the impact of peatland drainage on greenhouse gas emissions.
13 Oct 08 New Study Demonstrates Essential Role of Peat in EU Horticulture A new study reveals the peat and growing media industry to be the main contributor to the sustainability of modern horticulture accounting for a turnover of 1.3 billion EUR and 11,000 jobs across Europe. It is the first time that data on the horticulture peat and growing media business and its socio-economic impact is gathered in such complete and comprehensive way and published in a study. Press release Socio-economic Study Summary brochure
13 Oct 08 Legal study outlines EU legislation governing the use of peat & peat based products In parallel to the socio-economic study, EPAGMA has commissioned another study outlining the EU legislation governing the use of peat and peat-based products. Legal Study

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