A new report released today, with contributors from 9 Civil Society Organisations* from 6 EU member states, highlights critical regulatory gaps affecting six major agricultural products, revealing disparities between EU and non-EU production and urges the European Union to adopt mirror measures in trade policy to uphold its environmental and social standards.

The report’s data, collected from case-studies done at Member State level by the contributors of the report, and farmer testimonies expose a troubling pattern of double standards. Imported agricultural products frequently do not comply with the EU’s health, environmental, and animal welfare standards required for domestic goods. This inconsistency harms farmers in Europe and non-EU countries, who bear the brunt of unsustainable practices in non-EU markets.

As the EU’s new Commission prepares to take office, the report calls on leaders to prioritise mirror measures to protect European farmers from unfair competition, support sustainable farming practices and welfare abroad, and generally mitigate the ecological impacts of Europe’s demand for produce.

At a time when many reactions to the recent U.S. election results refer to likely future tariffs and restrictions in the EU-USA trade, and the EU Agriculture and Food Commissioner delegate in his recent hearing has come out in favour of the EU-Mercosur free trade deal, it is key to point out some elements that currently already create imbalance for the farmers’ economy and threats to the health of citizens and the planet.

Double Standards in Key Agricultural Markets

The lack of reciprocity of standards has tangible consequences, both within and beyond EU borders: addressing this challenge can be one way of ensuring fair prices for farmers, which can in turn facilitate a shift towards agroecological practices, improving integrity of supply chains and responsible consumption. With a market of nearly 450 million consumers, the EU has a significant role to play to mitigate the adverse impacts of its own consumption in countries it trades with.

Key findings

• The example of soybeans: approximately 90% of soybeans used in EU livestock feed are imported, mainly from North and South America, where they are often treated with pesticides that are banned in the EU. In addition, many of these imports are genetically modified (GMO) to withstand high use of herbicides, a practice prohibited in Europe. This reliance on cheaper, pesticide-laden imports not only undermines European food production but also leads to harmful conditions for local soybean farm workers abroad.
  Christophe Garroussia, a French soybean producer, commented, “Why accept this GMO soy, sourced from deforested areas and treated with banned pesticides? It’s an obstacle that prevents more sustainable European supply chains and compromises our food resilience.”

• Imports of beef and sheep meat are characterised by animal welfare violations and use of antibiotics as growth promoters, practices that are tightly regulated in the EU. Third countries often do not observe the EU’s animal welfare standards or restrict the use of antibiotics, creating public health risks and unfair competition for European farmers.

These discrepancies show that the lack of mirror measures impacts not only the sustainability of imports entering the EU but also stalls progress towards agroecological practices and harms farmers’ livelihoods on both sides of the trade equation. While some progress has been made in recent years, and a few concrete mirror measures have been adopted (such as on the imported deforestation, the residues of neonicotinoids or the use of antibiotics), much remains to be done for effective and efficient application of these existing measures.

Trade Policies for Sustainable Food Systems

With the issue of "double standards" gaining traction in EU agricultural, trade, and environmental policy discussions, the adoption of mirror measures has been recommended in the Strategic Dialogue report and in the Mission letter for the new Commissioner for Agriculture and Food. As European leaders begin their new mandates, the report calls on them to firmly commit to aligning EU trade policy with its sustainability goals, including rejecting trade agreements that conflict with these efforts.

Recent farmer protests and public concern over the climate crisis highlight the urgent need for a fair, sustainable trade policy. Adopting mirror measures should be a way to promote agroecology globally, not to advance exclusionary or protectionist agendas, nor populist capture. Mirror measures should be thoughtfully in accordance with Green Deal objectives and constructed to create fair conditions for all farmers by levelling standards and encouraging sustainable practices. This balanced approach would foster fairer competition, protect socio-economic wellbeing, and strengthen global environment and health protection.

To learn more about mirror measures and explore real-world supply chain examples, access the full report here.

*Contributors to the Report : CNCD 11.11.11, Feedback EU, FNH, Humundi, Veblen Institute, SEO Birdlife, Slow Food, Slow Food Germany, Slow Food Italy