• In Provence, lavender growers mobilized this summer for fear of seeing lavender essential oil banned by the European Union.

  • A ban that is not on the agenda according to the European Commission.

  • A meeting between representatives of the European Commission and those of lavandiculture is organized this Thursday in Marseille in order to defuse fears.

Producers who launch a successful petition, local elected officials who step up to the plate, and here is lavender essential oil on the fire. For several weeks, in Provence, the main players in the lavender sector have said they live in fear: that of seeing lavandin essential oil being classified as dangerous products by the European Commission, as part of a regulatory change. . "It has been used for millennia, plague Alain Aubanel, president of the Union of professionals of perfume, aromatic and medicinal plants in France with

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. Why would a natural product suddenly be dangerous? All this because we can't break down molecule by molecule? "

In Alain Aubanel's viewfinder, an announced revision of two regulations, one to protect health and the environment called REACH, the other, CLP, relating to the classification, labeling and packaging of products .

Real fear or simple speculation? 

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, the European Commission disagrees. “The European Union has no intention of banning lavender essential oils,” says the European Commission. The fears about this are unfounded. Yes, European legislation will be revised with the aim of better protecting the health of consumers and the environment. But as before any change in legislation, the European Commission will consult extensively all players in the sector, including lavender producers, with whom we are already in regular contact. "

According to our information, a meeting between representatives of lavender producers and representatives of the European Commission is also scheduled at Marseille airport this Thursday, in order to initiate a dialogue and allay any fears of professionals. “This is a working group, affirms Alain Aubanel, in order to go further than the email exchanges we have had in recent weeks, following the mess we have made. The information is rather positive, but nothing is gained. "

“Essential oils are already defined as chemical substances and are regulated as such by the Reach and CLP regulations, reminds

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the European Commission. In the planned revisions, the Commission does not intend to change or start requiring an analysis of every molecule in essential oils. "

And to affirm: "There will be no legislative proposals before the end of 2022. And these proposals, like any legislative proposal presented by the Commission, will then have to be discussed and adopted by the European Parliament on the one hand and by the Council. which brings together the 27 member states of the other.

This means that the new Reach and CLP regulations will not come into force without having been widely discussed and possibly amended.

According to Alain Aubanel, the president of the region Paca Renaud Muselier will travel to Brussels alongside him in November to defend the cause of lavender growers with the European Union.

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