France targets imports from South America over banned chemical concerns

Imports of fruit and other food products from South America that contain substances banned in Europe are set to be blocked from entering France in the coming days, the government has announced.

Products including avocados, potatoes, cherries, mangoes, grapes, citrus fruits and other fresh produce will be inspected for specific chemicals prohibited in the EU.

Any produce found to contain traces of these substances will be refused entry to France.

The substances that customs officials will check for include mancozeb, glufosinate, thiophanate-methyl and carbendazim, which are used as fungicides and herbicides.

A decree setting out the ban in full is due to be published on Tuesday (January 6). However, because of its international trade implications, France must obtain approval from the European Commission within 10 days before the measure can take effect.

French Health Minister Annie Genevard will travel to Brussels on Wednesday, where she hopes to obtain backing for the ban.

“We cannot accept that substances banned in our country reappear indirectly through imports. This is common sense. Wherever they come from in the world, imported products must comply with our standards. France is setting an example in Europe,” she said in a post on social media.

Government looks to gain farmer support before trade vote

The announcement comes on the eve of a new wave of protests by farmers, centred on both the treatment of cattle suffering from lumpy skin disease outbreaks as well as the upcoming ‘Mercosur’ trade deal between the EU and certain South American countries.

At least one of France’s major agriculture unions is calling for action with January 7 set to be a major day for demonstrations.

A key vote on the free-trade deal was initially scheduled for December but has been postponed until January 9.

France and Italy are the main EU countries still opposing the agreement which is in its final stages.

Farmers across Europe — particularly in France — are strongly opposed to the agreement, warning it would undermine the agricultural sector and trigger a surge in cheap imports.

They argue that such imports would not be subject to the same health and safety standards as EU products, raising concerns over human and animal health, labour rights and environmental protections. This, they say, would make imported products cheaper and allow them to undercut domestic farmers.

Most French farmers are calling for the deal to be abandoned entirely, a move France cannot take on its own as approval depends on other EU member states. Many other members, including Germany, are in favour of the deal.

Instead, France is seeking a compromise, navigating a delicate position between pressure from domestic farmers, frustration among European partners and growing impatience in South America, where some countries are warning they may withdraw from the agreement altogether.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu indicated that the French government will not let goods that are not subject to the same health rules as in Europe enter the country.

“Stricter controls will be carried out by a specialised brigade to guarantee compliance with our health standards,” said Mr Lecornu in a post on social media.

It is “a first step to protect our sectors and our consumers and to combat unfair competition, a real issue of justice and fairness for our farmers,” he added.

Many of the products facing a ban are those which are already largely imported, with French farmers instead concentrating their criticism on meat, grain and other goods that are produced domestically.