The European Union is planning to impose restrictions on food imports produced under different standards to shield its farmers from unfair competition, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.
The move mirrors former US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal trade policy, which sought to impose tariffs on foreign products that did not meet the same standards as those made in the US.
Tougher import limits
According to the report, the European Commission is set to agree next week on exploring stricter import limits. Citing unnamed officials, the newspaper noted that early targets could include US agricultural products, particularly soybeans grown with pesticides that are banned for EU farmers.
During his presidency, Donald Trump criticised trade policies that blocked American products from entering foreign markets, including the EU’s restrictions on US shellfish from 48 of 50 states. His administration imposed reciprocal tariffs in response to such barriers.