EU and Latin America end “banana war”

The European Parliament has ratified an agreement that will put an end to the so-called “banana war,” that has lasted for 16 years. The agreement will reduce heavy surtaxes on bananas from Latin America (by the year 2017) and the preferential treatment given to bananas from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

For years the Europeans have preferred bananas from other countries (many of them former colonies), although 75% of the bananas consumed came from Latin America (including Brazil).