In the European Green Deal presented in late 2019, the EU set a target of climate neutrality by 2050 and “economic growth decoupled from resource use”. A whole series of key legislative texts have already been adopted, and various major projects are still underway. But to achieve its stated objectives, the EU must also mobilize its trade policy and tackle the difference in production standards between European and imported products through the introduction of mirror measures.

These measures integrated in European legislation which condition access to the EU market on compliance with certain essential European standards, particularly in the areas of sustainability, the environment, health and animal welfare.

Isolated examples of such measures have existed for a long time, mainly in the agricultural sector. Since the launch of the Green Deal, a paradigm shift has been under way, as demonstrated by the adoption of the carbon border adjustment mechanism, the regulation on imported deforestation, and the regulation on neonicotinoid residues. This paper presents a status report on the mirror measures already in place or under development across various economic sectors in the context of the European Green Deal. It identifies other sector-specific policies and legislation in which such measures could be adopted by the end of the European mandate or during the next. In the future, the relevance and usefulness of a section dedicated to the treatment of imported goods and services should be systematically considered for all major European texts implementing the Green Deal.

Our recommendations :

• Systematic consideration of the relevance and usefulness of a section dedicated to the treatment of imported goods and services for all major European texts implementing the Green Deal (in impact studies, consultations and the drafting of legislative proposals).
• Clarification of responsibilities and creation of more robust means of monitoring compliance with environmental and health standards for imported products.
• Development of customs nomenclature to differentiate products according to their production methods, for example organically-farmed products.
• Effective implementation of mirror measure on veterinary medicinal products in livestock farming and adoption of mirror measures for the new animal welfare provisions.
• Short-term reduction of maximum residue limits (MRLs) to the detection threshold for all hazardous pesticides banned in the EU and extension of MRL use to all agricultural production (including crops intended solely for animal feed, energy or ornamental use). In the medium term, adoption of a total import ban on products treated with pesticides banned in the EU.
• Banning of EU production for export of banned pesticides whose use is prohibited in the EU due to their danger to health or ecosystems.
• Adoption of ambitious new rules on sustainable food systems, animal welfare and eco-design of products, including mirror measures.