EU to impose strict ban on food imports with banned pesticides
The European Union is planning to halt the import of food products containing banned pesticides, reports the British newspaper "Financial Times" on Sunday. The paper adds that Brussels is modelling its policy on that of former U.S. President Donald Trump. This move could have significant consequences for American farmers.
The European Union is preparing to enforce a ban on the import of certain food products that contain pesticides not allowed within the EU. According to the "Financial Times," this decision is inspired by Donald Trump's approach.
Brussels is set to address this issue in the coming week. The ban could affect American crops such as soybeans, which are grown using pesticides not permitted in the EU.
The Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Oliver Varhelyi, as the "FT" reminds us, highlighted in an interview with the paper last month that products banned in the Union should not be imported, even if they are legal in their countries of origin.
Pesticides under scrutiny
The EU prohibits the use of many pesticides, even though its health agency acknowledges that consuming some of them in small amounts is safe.
Varhelyi noted that carcinogenic substances, mutagens, and those disrupting the endocrine system should not enter the EU in imported food. An example is paraquat, a herbicide banned in the Union but used in the USA.
According to a report by Pesticide Action Network Europe, tea and coffee are most often contaminated with banned pesticides. Nearly 25% of tea samples from India and 17% from China contained prohibited residues.
The European Union also plans to incorporate higher animal welfare standards in future trade agreements. Regulations concerning the amount of space for chickens and calves, as well as the cleanliness of their living quarters, increase costs for farmers, as highlighted by "Financial Times".
