The European Commission published a study providing a preliminary evaluation on the market impacts of lowering all residue levels of the most hazardous pesticides in imported food and feed.
The preliminary study focuses on the active substances, commodities and countries that could be affected. It evaluates market effects under three different hypothetical scenarios reflecting varying degrees of producer adaptation. While the direction of effects is consistent across all scenarios, outcomes differ in magnitude – from limited market impacts if third-countries' producers adapt to EU requirements, to reduced imports and impacts on EU production and consumer prices, if they do not.
Further analysis may be needed, including on aspects such as environmental and social dimensions.
This study is a first step in the analysis of the principle announced in the Commission's Vision for Agriculture and Food, that the most hazardous pesticides banned in the EU for health and environmental reasons should not return to the EU through imported products. It provides an analytical basis for potential appropriate and proportional action to progress towards greater reciprocity of standards but does not prejudge the next steps that could be taken by the Commission. It will also feed into an impact assessment.