EU Standards on Food Non-Negotiable, Says Trade Commissioner Šefčovič to Euronews
EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčović states that European Union regulations concerning agriculture and food are “non-negotiable.”
During an interview, Šefčovič urged for a equitable and well-balanced agreement with the United States within the structure of ongoing tariff discussions.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick – who serves as the primary point of contact for Commissioner Šefčović – recently criticized EU rules that prohibit certain U.S.-produced meat and poultry from accessing the European market because these products contain hormones considered unsafe by Brussels authorities.
“The European Union refuses to accept chicken from America. They also reject lobsters from America. They dislike our beef because ours is superior and theirs is inferior,” Lutnick said to Fox News in April.
The EU has offered a zero-tariff trade deal with the US, but Washington says this isn’t enough; the White House said it wants better access to the EU’s market.
“I believe we have made it abundantly clear that we will definitely maintain our capacity for independent regulation,” Commissioner Šefčović stated to The Europe Conversation.
“When it concerns matters of health and safety, these points are definitely non-negotiable,” he stated.
Šefčovič dismissed the notion from Washington that the EU does not accept their agricultural goods, stating instead that Europe imports significant amounts of such products. He also pointed out that in the United States, there is a growing trend toward consuming organically produced items rather than those treated with hormones.
He noted that this isn’t entirely accurate since we use their goods provided they adhere to the EU’s health regulations. Additionally, based on my observation of U.S. conversations, they seem to be moving towards promoting healthier foods with fewer chemicals and prioritizing organic production methods.
In March, the United States introduced 25% tariffs on European Union vehicles, steel, and aluminum, followed by 20% duties on other EU products in April. The Trump administration referred to this as “Freedom Day.”
The rate was reduced from 20% to half of that until July 8th, providing a 90-day timeframe for negotiations aimed at reaching a more thorough agreement on tariffs. As a result, the European Union and the United States find themselves engaged in discussions set to conclude by early July following an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump establishing this 90-day negotiation period.
Šefčovič stated that he was advocating for an equitable and well-balanced agreement with the United States, adding that the administrations of EU member countries would refuse any result leading to punitive tariffs being placed on the European Union.
The recently signed pact between the UK and the US involves 10% tariffs. He mentioned that the member countries have explicitly stated they will not accept this arrangement.
“When questioned about whether he’d agree to an agreement like the one made by the UK, his response was definitive: ‘Our trade ministers emphasized their desire for a fair and balanced pact with the United States,’ ” he explained.
The EU negotiator now seeks a balanced deal with Washington, saying he is ready to negotiate with US partners.
“Currently, we face a 25% tariff on steel and another 25% on car imports, which we genuinely feel is unfair. We aim to address this issue via negotiations, yet at the same time, we are making preparations,” stated Šefčović.
Instead, our focus was on safeguarding European employment and businesses, which led us to initiate discussions about potential corrective actions.
Nevertheless, he states that the EU is prepared to enforce up to €95 billion in retaliatory measures if talks do not resolve the trade imbalance.
A range of American goods, featuring aviation leader Boeing as well as alcoholic items such as bourbon, might face possible EU tariff measures.