Careless in fipronil affair
LTO Netherlands takes NVWA to court
LTO Nederland is taking the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) to court. "The NVWAÂ acted negligently and carelessly and could have prevented the enormous damage." LTO Nederland announced this on Wednesday 13 December.
According to LTO Nederland, the damage to poultry farmers would not have occurred if the NVWA had properly fulfilled its duties as supervisor. "For example, the NVWA was aware of the use of fipronil, but did not give the sector the opportunity to arm itself against it," says Roeland de Mol, lawyer at BarentsKrans lawyers and civil-law notaries.
Insufficient action
In addition, LTO Nederland reports that the NVWA acted unlawfully by taking insufficient action in November 2016, while there were concrete reports about possible large-scale use of fipronil by ChickFriend. "The NVWA knew about the use of fipronil and did not do enough with it," said Eric Hubers, chairman of the Poultry Farming Department of LTO Nederland/NOP.
Statements in Nieuwsuur
The NVWA's statements in the broadcast of Nieuwsuur (1 August 2017) not to eat eggs for the time being, have only increased the damage. "The regulator's statements are not related to the public warning that was published the day before. In addition, it has been completely taken out of context and it gave the impression that there were more risks. That was disastrous for the sector," he said. Hubers.
The Dutch Union of Poultry Farmers (NVP) agrees with LTO Nederland and is therefore also participating in this legal process.
Kimberly Baker
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