US EditionFrance tightens checks on food imports amid farmers' Mercosur opposition
France will block imports of fruits with residues of four pesticides banned in the EU to protect farmers and consumers from unfair competition, officials said.
- On Jan 4 Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced France will suspend imports from South America or elsewhere showing traces of pesticides banned in the EU, with a decree to be issued soon.
- French farmers and unions have been protesting the EU‑Mercosur trade deal, staging supermarket and road actions in Carcassonne and opposing cattle culling and measures to contain lumpy skin disease.
- The measure names specific banned pesticides including mancozeb, glufosinate, thiophanate‑methyl and carbendazim, with reinforced inspections by a specialised unit covering around a dozen food imports.
- European officials are aiming for mid‑January ratification while diplomats have discussed an early‑January signing in Paraguay, and Paris says the new decree protects consumers and supply chains.
- The stalled EU‑Mercosur deal faces opposition in France as Germany and Spain support it, while France frames its decree as a European example enforcing imports regardless of origin to meet EU standards.
43 Articles
43 Articles
France bans imports of foods containing EU-prohibited pesticides
France has announced that it will ban foods containing residues of pesticides prohibited by the EU. In practice, this will greatly restrict imports of products such as mangos, guavas, avocados, grapes, apples and citrus fruits, particularly from South America. The measure is being put in place to reduce 'unfair competition' to French farmers. France has long been a critic of the upcoming Mercosur-EU trade deal, which will reduce trade barriers b…
France Announces Import Suspensions Amid Farmers' Mercosur Opposition
Sunday, January 4th saw French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announce that the government would take new steps to protect domestic agriculture—including suspending imports of certain products—following growing opposition to the Mercosur trade agreement. The measure aims to support farmers who have been protesting over the unfair competition from South American imports and the government’s handling of recent livestock health issues. Lecornu em…
The government wants to suspend from Tuesday the importation of products from South America, especially those containing banned substances in Europe. Lawyers, grapes, mangoes, apples, pineapples, bananas... they have made themselves a choice in supermarkets. These exotic fruits are highly appreciated by some consumers. They are popular for their taste and price. What are the consequences of this decision in the shelves and on the stalls? (Econom…
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu promised French farmers this Sunday that his government will take a "stronger, more offensive" stance towards the European Union, to prevent changes in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and imbalances in trade agreements such as the one the EU intends to sign with Mercosur countries.
The French government will suspend the importation of food products containing residues of banned substances into Europe. This decision, announced on Sunday 4 January by Prime Minister Sébastien...
France tightens food import checks as farmers protest Mercosur deal
The French government on Sunday revealed plans to tighten checks on food imports in response to mounting protests from farmers concerned about unfair competition. Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard announced that a new decree would suspend imports of certain products containing banned substances, ensuring all foreign goods comply with the same strict standards as locally produced food.
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