The EU announced strict restrictions on imported products: first details.

The European Commission intends to change the policy on food product imports. According to Financial Times information, the possibility of tightening restrictions on the import of products with banned pesticides into the EU will be considered next week.

Health Commissioner Olivier Varhelyi emphasized the importance of this initiative: 'We have clear signals from the parliament, member states, and farmers: everything that is banned in the EU must be banned in the EU, even if it is an imported product.'

There is particular concern regarding imports from the USA, especially soybeans, which are grown using pesticides banned in the EU. A study by the Pesticide Action Network Europe showed that imported products are a serious problem. Samples of tea and coffee turned out to be the most contaminated: 38% of tea samples and 23% of coffee samples contained residues of banned pesticides. Many contaminated products come from India and China.

European officials stress the necessity of a scientific approach to this issue. 'If science says it is dangerous, we should not do it. If we want scientific justification, then science is universal. Therefore, we must ensure that everything imported complies with this,' Varhelyi emphasized.

The restriction plan is part of the 'Vision for Agriculture' initiative, developed by Agriculture Commissioner Christoph Hansen. European officials support the need for a balanced approach, stating that 'we need coffee, mango, and avocado.'

In addition to pesticides, the Commission plans to impose stricter standards regarding animal welfare in trade agreements. This may help gain support from national parliaments, which previously rejected some trade agreements due to concerns about their impact on farmers and the environment.

Moreover, it has been reported that trade in agricultural products between Ukraine and the EU has increased despite the war.