Environment 
Trade 
International In less than six months, the “mirror clauses” have taken over the European Union’s trade policy. To inject “reciprocity” into trade terms, the Council is proposing that imported food be produced to exactly the same sanitary, phytosanitary, welfare and environmental standards as those imposed on domestic products in Europe.
As part of its environmental strategy, the European Commission announced two pesticide reduction targets to be achieved by 2030, and it is within this framework that issues related to international trade are gaining momentum. With pesticide targets increasing costs for European farmers and productivity levels likely to be compromised, there are concerns that domestic products will be harmed by imports produced “less sustainably”.
According to the Council of Europe, when it comes to protecting plant health, regional conditions must be taken into account not only to avoid conflicts with WTO rules, but also to ensure that mirror clauses do not result in a practical ban. of imports from developing countries that affect livelihoods around the world.
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