British MP Keith Vaz asks European governments to lift ban on Mangoes

LONDON: Indian-origin MP Keith Vaz has asked the prime ministers and Presidents across European Union member states lift a ban on import of Mangoes from India.

Vaz asked them to vote in favour of lifting the ban at the crucial meeting of the EU Standing Committee scheduled in Brussels on January 19-20.

"This is a significant opportunity to lift a ban which has caused chaos for businesses in India and the United Kingdom," Vaz said in a statement.

"An investigation by the EU showed major improvements have been made to quality and control measures in India and there should now be no reason to continue this harmful ban," he said.

"Now, on the 19-20th January, we can take this final step. I have written to the heads of government across the EU, as this issue has not only been significant for the 1.4 million people of Indian origin in the United Kingdom, but is a benchmark for the relationship between India and the European Union," Vaz said.

"I am grateful to the British government for its support to the campaign to lift the ban," he added.

The European Union's 'temporary ban', supported by DeFRA, came into force on May 1, 2014 and was to remain effective until December 2015 after authorities in Brussels found consignments infested with fruit flies that they feared could damage European salad crops.