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The AlterBromide Coordination Action supports the EC policy by coordinating national and local initiatives in Methyl Bromide alternatives. The action aims at:

• Identifying the alternatives to Methyl Bromide and collecting information on development work and ongoing research concerning the appropriateness and use of successful alternatives.
• Evaluating the implementation of successful alternatives and proposing good practices.
• Defining and coordinating several dissemination tools thus promoting the transfer of the detected good practices and coordinating the methodology and the content of the messages delivered to the concerned actors.

The purpose of the project is to create and enhance awareness among stakeholders and all users of methyl bromide alternatives and phase-out deadlines and encourage the shift to alternatives and the development of policies to support a rapid transition from methyl bromide. The project aims to include clear messages describing the methyl bromide issue and the benefits of new alternatives in order to maintain a suitable agriculture.

The AlterBromide project coordinates the activities in Europe in order to promote the dissemination of sustainable successful Methyl Bromide alternatives thus, supporting the EC policy for developing sustainable agriculture production systems.

The project develops an analysis of the problems impeding the adoption of alternatives to Methyl Bromide. Therefore, it contributes to removing or at least decreasing the obstacles to the development of alternatives methods and promotes a better understanding of them. The objectives are achieved by coordinating the work on relevant solutions, methodologies and tools that promote methyl bromide alternatives, and transferring the results into practice towards the achievement of the objectives set out in Agenda 2000.

AlterBromide contributes to generate an advanced expertise in Europe in terms of best practices analysis, transfer and dissemination of methyl bromide alternatives. By increasing the dissemination on a multidisciplinary basis towards different types of organizations, the project contributes to the consolidation of the European Research and Technology Community, also supporting EU international commitments.

The activities strongly support the EC regulations in the area of substances that deplete the ozone layer and promote forms of agriculture which are both ecologically sound and economically viable.

The AlterBromide project promotes the environmental protection, the promotion of sustainable agriculture, a better quality of life and also better economic activities. The methods and tools developed in the project will be used by public and private organizations within the European Community, thus creating new business opportunities particularly in eco industries. Moreover, the development of more harmonious relations between science and society and the opening up of innovation in Europe are encournged, as well as, the responsiveness to societal concerns particularly of researchers', growers and public agencies is reinforced.

Required interfaces are developed by the AlterBromide consortium with policy-makers and industry, thus helping in transferring results in a durable way. In addition, communication programmes are implemented by agricultural organisations and by Industry which have strong links to Methyl bromide users and the ability to conduct outreach to these users effectively. The programmes will include benefits that users (researchers, growers, public agencies, decision makers) may draw from the proposed project outputs.

AREFLH www.areflh.org, the coordinator of the project, has many experiences in European project coordination on orchards and vegetables in France, Spain & Italy. AREFLH is working with experts in order to manage the project and collaborates with SAFE, an association of fumigators, having a good knowledge of dissemination of fumigation practices.

The leaders of the four project workpackages are (see also Consortium Partners section):

• KU Leuven University in Belgium poses high level of knowledge in MB alternatives and is leading the "WP1-Identification of problem and collection of data".
• AGROINNOVA in Italy is working directly with the growers and in connection with Universities and Institutes. Being located in Italy, the main user of Methyl Bromide in the past, AGROINNOVA poses a serious advantage to managing the evaluation and selection of good practices in successful MB alternatives and therefore is leading "WP2-Evaluation of successful alternatives".
• CRITT INNOPHYT in France is a centre of innovation and technology transfer and has a strong experience on soil fumigation, as well as on the fumigation of food facilities and structures CRITT leads WP3-Dissemination, including the management of the AlterBromide Web Platform and the relevant actions towards the technical suppliers, researchers, decision makers and growers.

The knowledge of the WP leaders is complimented by other organisations with specific expertise in required areas:

EUROPEAN DYNAMICS, a Greek Information Technology and Telecommunications company, provides a common information system supported by a powerful Web Platform. In addition, three Research & Development organizations at the national level in key countries have the knowledge of MB & existing alternatives, with some European and/or international experiences: BGSO in France, IFAPA in Spain and University of Athens in Greece.

In France, the BGSO is supported by HORTIS (strawberries and vegetables regional centre), & CIREA (orchards regional centre). In Spain, IFAPA is supported by IFIA (strawberries regional centre), IVIA & CIDA (vegetables regional centre).

Finally, HORTING is an RTD organization coming from Romania, and Wageningen University and Plant Research International come from the Netherlands, a country where the use of MB has been completely phased out.

The AlterBromide project has an impact on several aspects of European Union policies including:

• Agricultural: contributes to promote sustainable agriculture. After many years with production volume as the main priority, new policies are being established, not only at national but also at international levels, in order to impose the concept of quality and sustainable production. Plant protection and post harvest are being an important and one of the most critical parts of agriculture, strongly involved with this trend for sustainable agricultural production.
• Environment: clearly enhances the preservation of the environment especially on substances that deplete the ozone layer and also assists EU regulations in terms of risk assessment and environmental monitoring. The project supports the EU strategy for sustainable development decided in 2001 in Göteborg and the EU policies on global change and ecosystems.
• Quality of life, health and safety of the citizens: the quality of life must be protected from ozone depletion and pollution that may have strong adverse effects on human life. Methyl Bromide has been proven to have toxic effects.
• Supporting EU policies: The activities developed in the project strongly support the EC regulation about Methyl Bromide and its implementation.
• Enlargement: the results of the project are disseminated through the Web platform and not only, in associated candidate countries with practical applications to their knowledge and in consequence induce their abilities to introduce EC regulations about Methyl Bromide.

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