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The EU aims to restrict imports of specific food products that do not meet its standards, in an attempt to safeguard its farmers, mirroring the “reciprocal” trade policy of former US President Donald Trump.
According to three officials, the European Commission is set to agree next week on investigating stricter import limitations, a decision likely to heighten tensions with trading partners. Potential initial targets may include US-produced crops like soybeans, which are cultivated using pesticides prohibited for EU farmers.
“We have received very clear indications from the parliament, member states, and our farmers: anything banned in the EU should remain banned in the EU, including imported products,” stated health commissioner Olivér Várhelyi in an interview last month.
On Thursday, Trump criticized nations, including the EU, that prevent US products, claiming that shellfish from 48 of the 50 US states were barred. He has threatened to impose tariffs on those who do not revise their policies.
The commission has consistently opposed calls from France and several other member states for reciprocal treatment, asserting that such measures could violate WTO regulations. The Commission only permits restrictions based on scientific substantiation that does not discriminate against imports.
The EU prohibits numerous pesticides due to their harmful effects on plants and animals, even though its health agency has deemed some safe for consumption at low levels.
The EU’s strategy is part of a Vision for Agriculture framework designed by farm commissioner Christophe Hansen. An official familiar with the plan indicated it emphasizes the need to adhere to international regulations.
“We are focusing solely on the most dangerous pesticides, and an impact assessment will be conducted to safeguard competitiveness ahead of any decisions,” mentioned one official, adding that “we require coffee, mangoes, and avocados”.
Várhelyi emphasized that carcinogenic, mutagenic, or endocrine-disrupting pesticides should be prohibited from entering the bloc via imported food.
“If scientific evidence indicates it is unsafe, we should not allow it.”
“To base our decisions on science, which is universal, we must ensure that all imports comply,” he remarked.
An example of such a substance is paraquat, a herbicide banned in the EU, yet utilized in the US on crops including soybeans.
Pesticide Action Network Europe, an advocacy group, reported finding various pesticides, including the fungicide propiconazole and toxic neurotoxic insecticides, in numerous imports, based on findings published earlier this month.
“These substances frequently occur in mixtures known as ‘pesticide cocktails’, and in some instances, their concentrations exceed the permissible legal limits for individual pesticides,” the group noted. “Higher allowable residue levels are often maintained to satisfy international trade partners, putting the health of European citizens at risk.”
Tea and coffee frequently ranked among products showing residues of banned pesticides, with 38 percent of tea samples and 23 percent of coffee samples affected. Nearly a quarter of samples from India and 17 percent from China, both major tea exporters, contained such residues.
The commission will also incorporate higher animal welfare standards in future trade agreements. The EU has regulations governing the living conditions for hens and calves, cleanliness of facilities, and other factors that increase costs for producers.
One official remarked that this could enhance public backing for trade agreements, in light of national parliaments previously rejecting some recent accords due to concerns about their impact on farmers and the environment.
