Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001571/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Dario Nardella (S&D), Camilla Laureti (S&D), Stefano Bonaccini (S&D), Alessandra Moretti (S&D), Giorgio Gori (S&D), Giuseppe Lupo (S&D), Pina Picierno (S&D), Sandro Ruotolo (S&D), Brando Benifei (S&D), Pierfrancesco Maran (S&D), Cecilia Strada (S&D), Annalisa Corrado (S&D), Cristina Guarda (Verts/ALE), Valentina Palmisano (The Left)
On 12 April 2025, Decree-Law No 48[1] came into force, which brought forward and immediately applied the rule originally laid down in in Article 18 of the Safety Decree, which prohibits the production and marketing of industrial hemp inflorescences and derivatives. The measure extends the system of penalties established for narcotics to operators in the industrial hemp sector, resulting in criminal penalties also being applied for activities governed by and in compliance with EU law, which, by means of Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 and Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, authorises the cultivation of certified varieties of Cannabis sativa L with a THC content no higher than 0.3 %.
The rule hits a sector that, in Italy, comprises more than 3 000 companies, employs up to 30 000 people and is geared overwhelmingly towards exports.
In the light of the adoption of those measures, can the Commission answer the following questions:
- 1.Does it consider a measure of that kind, which criminalises the marketing of crop products authorised at EU level, to be compatible with EU law?
- 2.Does it not agree that measures of that kind not notified by means of the TRIS procedure could constitute an unjustified barrier to the free movement of goods within the internal market?
- 3.Will it take measures to protect economic operators who are subject to criminal sanctions at national level, despite their compliance with EU legislation? If so, what form will they take?
Submitted: 17.4.2025
- [1] https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/id/2025/04/11/25G00060/SG.