Media: EU to consider Trump-style import ban on food to protect farmers

The European Union is set to explore measures that would limit imports of certain food products made to different standards, mirroring US President Donald Trump’s "reciprocal" trade policy.

The move, which could strain relations with trading partners, is expected to be discussed by the European Commission next week, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

According to three officials, the Commission is considering a series of import restrictions, with initial targets possibly including US crops like soybeans, which are grown using pesticides not allowed for use by EU farmers. The EU has faced increasing pressure from its farmers and member states to protect domestic agricultural standards.

Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi discussed the reasoning behind the potential move, stating, “We have very clear signals from the parliament, very clear signals also from the member states and from our farmers: whatever is banned in the EU, it should be banned in the EU, even if it is an imported product.”

This proposal comes amid increasing tensions over trade policies, with US President Donald Trump criticizing the EU’s stance on blocking US products, including shellfish. Trump recently threatened tariffs on countries, including the EU, if they did not change their policies.

The EU Commission has long opposed the idea of reciprocal trade treatment, arguing that such measures could breach World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. The body generally only allows restrictions based on scientific grounds that do not discriminate against imports.

The EU currently bans many pesticides due to concerns about their negative effects on plants and animals, even though some health agencies have deemed certain pesticides safe at low levels of exposure. The new EU policy, included in a Vision for Agriculture road map by Farm Commissioner Christophe Hansen, would focus on the most hazardous pesticides, with an impact assessment to ensure it does not undermine competitiveness before making any decisions.

Várhelyi emphasized the importance of maintaining safety standards for food imports, stating, “If science says it is not safe, then we shouldn’t have it.” He further explained, “If we want to be scientifically based, then science is universal. So we have to make sure whatever is imported complies with this.”

The proposal is expected to target harmful substances like paraquat, a herbicide banned in the EU but used in the US on crops such as soybeans. Campaign groups like Pesticide Action Network Europe have raised concerns about the use of banned pesticides in imports, including fungicides and neurotoxic insecticides. A recent report by the group found that substances such as these were present in imported tea and coffee, with some residue levels exceeding legal limits.

The Commission is also planning to include higher animal welfare standards in future trade deals, ensuring that products meet the EU's standards for space and cleanliness, which often increase production costs for farmers. One official noted that this could help garner public support for trade agreements, which have previously faced resistance in national parliaments due to concerns about their impact on farmers and the environment.

By Vafa Guliyeva