The Canada Grains Council has published a white paper sounding the alarm over innovation-related trade barriers in the European Union – trade barriers that threaten Canadian grain exports to the EU and beyond.
According to the Canada Grains Council, the European Union is taking an increasingly precautionary approach to agricultural innovation.
Over the past 10 years, the EU has removed about half of the crop protection tools available to its own farmers, often for political rather than scientific reasons.
As a result, the EU is now under pressure to block food imports produced using products no longer allowed in Europe, even when those products are proven to be safe.
The Canada Grains Council says this reciprocity approach could have major negative impacts on Canadian agricultural trade to the EU.
Depending upon implementation specifics as the policy comes into effect this spring and then expands, all cereal, oilseed and pulse crop exports could be restricted or halted.
This could also spread to other countries around the world that are influenced by EU trade policies.
All this is happening at a time when Canada is seeking to diversify its trade beyond the United States.
The Canada Grains Council says the government of Canada needs to establish and lead a coalition on like-minded countries to safeguard scientific, risk-based regulation to counter the EU’s regulatory overreach.
