The European Commission presented its report to the EU Council on 3 June indicating that there is “room for manoeuvre” to apply reciprocity of EU environmental and health standards to imported agricultural products in line with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules (see EUROPE 12965/22).
Marc Fesneau, the French Minister of Agriculture, stressed that the EU “will have nothing to gain if the higher standards that apply to our farmers ultimately result in a drop in our production and an increase in imports that do not necessarily meet the same requirements, with the risk of a deterioration in the world’s environmental and climate balance”.
The debate showed that several countries are very enthusiastic about this issue, including Hungary, Austria, Ireland, Spain and Italy.
The Irish minister said that third countries should be encouraged to have sustainable production systems, without undermining competitiveness. Compliance with WTO rules was stressed by Ireland and many other countries (Germany, Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, etc.).
Spain supported reciprocity in imported products, while respecting WTO rules.
Slovakia, among other countries, called for a review of the maximum residue levels for pesticides on imported products.
Some EU production standards should be extended to imported agricultural products, in the context of the ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy, Hungary said. This country has defended autonomous EU measures.
Poland insisted on using bilateral trade agreements (animal welfare and pesticides) as leverage.
The social effects of mirror clauses must be assessed, Portugal warned.
Liberal countries are cautious. Germany said it will be “difficult” to apply EU standards to imported products. Measures must be more focused on combating climate change and results must be achieved at the multilateral level, Berlin insisted. We should not demand things from our partners that are not correct, Germany also said.
We must continue to promote sustainability, but the criteria must be analysed on a case-by-case basis, said the Swedish minister.
Janusz Wojciechowski, the Commissioner for Agriculture, underlined, as did several countries, that “the multilateral route should of course remain our preferred option. This is the best way to ensure that the sustainability perspective is taken up by all trading partners”. The Commissioner admitted that this route “can often imply long and protracted negotiations with our partners”.
Much work is therefore needed in the coming months and years to incentivise “our partners to cooperate with us on achieving more sustainable production and food systems”, Mr Wojciechowski stressed.
Bilateral agreements play an important role. The EU can secure guarantees by cooperating with its trading partners or by “tying our trade concessions to compliance with production standards, as we have done with Mercosur countries for eggs”, said the Commissioner.
The report also makes clear that the EU can act autonomously. “Obviously, this must be done in full compliance with WTO rules and subject to fulfilling certain conditions”, the Commissioner said.
According to the Commission, autonomous measures must be: - justified on a case-by-case basis; - proportionate in relation to the goal sought; - transparent and non-discriminatory. Moreover, such measures cannot be motivated by protectionist considerations or competitiveness concerns.
However, Mr Wojciechowski said it is clear that there is room for policy choices, especially for measures to address global environmental concerns, such as deforestation or measures to improve animal welfare. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)