The European Union abolished in December seal RUP of the banana and tomato.

In the opinion of the Commissioner Phil Hogan, It's an opportunity to diversify the offer.

Products such as the melon, cucumber, lettuce, honey from sugar cane and the emblems of the Canarian traditional agriculture, the banana and tomato, they will no longer promote themselves with the logo that distinguishes the outermost regions (RUP) of the European Union (EU). In fact, only may put it 'one or two' products and without that must necessarily be one of those mentioned.

«The graphic symbol of the outermost regions» can 'illustrated with one or more of the products covered by that regime, without excluding a priori certain products», explained in a somewhat ambiguous way in a parliamentary answer the Commissioner for agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan, the conservative Gabriel Mato MEPs and Carlos Iturgaiz, those who are interested this summer by the Elimination of the RUP logo of banana and tomato in campaigns.

The precise Commissioner in your reply that regulated by the Community regulation on information and promotion actions number 3/2008 It will be replaced starting from this 1 December by regulation number 1144/2014.

The new measures include, defends, they are aimed at «»improve the visibility of European agricultural products, both inside and outside the Union, paying special attention to the markets of third countries with the greatest growth potential».

For Hogan, the fact that, now, is not mandatory to stamp the European logo on products such as banana and tomato in promotional campaigns, for example, It is an opportunity for other agricultural products, open markets and attract new consumers.

"One of the objectives of the policy of promoting - the EU - is helping the sector to raise the level of awareness of consumers, diversify the target markets and open new ones», appreciates the Commissioner.

For this reason, He believes that "it with respect to graphic of the outermost regions prompt and quality products covering, It could be considered that this provision constitutes an opportunity to seize new opportunities and reach new consumers outside traditional markets».

In this way the Spanish MEPs informed Hogan, They focused their question to the permanence of the logo on the above products «star» - banana and tomato - as «quality». «Logo RUP has allowed since its birth to publicize and better identify quality productions originating in the outermost regions», claim.

In addition, Remember that the Commission has developed and co-financed from 2005 «various programmes to promote the logo, and already has established a new one for the period 2015-2018".

However, This new program involves "some changes, among them Let promote themselves within the campaigns about the EU logo products such as melon, cucumber, lettuce, sugar cane honey, even the tomato and banana, as important to the economy of some regions such as the Canary Islands», underline.

The banana sector has already predicted poor prospects if the promotion shall be deleted and, Therefore, logo, and even running a possible definitive disappearance of this seal.

This programme 2015-2018, like the previous three (2005-2008; 2008-2011 and 2011-2014), It aims to promote the brand graphic of the ORS, especially in the Canary Islands, Guadalupe, Madeira and Martinique.

Theoretically, It was intended to include new products derived from diversification, In addition to the banana. The EU projected a budget of 10 million euros, funded to the 50% by the Commission, to be distributed among all the ORS.