The ‘mirror measures’ loop

Introduced into the EU debate by the French EU Council presidency in 2022, the concept of ‘mirror clauses’ – or ‘measures’ – has become ubiquitous in all discussions of EU trade, agricultural and environmental policy. 

The concept is gaining even more traction these days, as EU politicians try to deal with farmers’ protests.

Mirror clauses are the “reciprocity of standards” in a new dress: Producers in third countries who want to export to the EU market must comply with the same strict social, sanitary, and environmental requirements as EU farmers.

Catchy, easy to understand, and anything but easy to apply. And it’s a risky tool to wave as a flag solution to the competitiveness problems of EU agriculture vis-à-vis third countries.

Flags can create expectations that backfire, if not met.

A case in point is the reaction of farmers’ organisations to the publication of the updated rules on imports of products of animal origin. A mirror measure par excellence, aimed at preventing the import of products from animals treated with antibiotic growth promoters.

The COPA-COGECA beef and veal chair Dominique Fayel did not hide his disappointment with the regulation, as exporters from third countries “will only be required to provide a basic sworn statement from a veterinarian affirming the non-use of antibiotics or growth-promoting hormones, without any additional evidence needed”.

This is an “illustration of the ‘Catch 22’ created by this ill-conceived notion of ‘mirror measures’,” Philippe Musquar, a lecturer in EU trade policy at Science Po Lille and the Catholic University of Milan, told Euractiv.

For most imported food products, “the fact that they comply with EU production standards or not could be undetectable,” he added.

A full implementation of the mirror measures principle “would mean sending dozens of EU inspectors around the world, with all that this implies in terms of diplomatic, legal, administrative, and financial complications” and “there is no way this approach could be generalised”.

The Catch 22 situation is that “on the one hand, farmers’ organisations continue to demand the introduction of ‘mirror measures’, which are extremely difficult to control, and on the other hand, they complain that the Commission, when accommodating such demands, tries to find ways around this difficulty, in this case the affidavit“.

The risk in that kind of loop, or vicious cycle, is that, instead of defusing farmers’ protests, it might have the opposite effect, feeding frustration and discontent.

Nibbles of the week

European Commission ready to cut red tape for farmers’ access to subsidies. The EU executive has proposed easing monitoring, controls, and environmental requirements to cut red tape under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in a document seen by Euractiv. 

The document will form the basis of a discussion with EU agriculture ministers in Brussels on Monday (26 February). On the same day, around 1,500 tractors are expected to parade through the European Quarter. 

Agriculture commissioner and AGRI committee trade blame for farmers’ protests. EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski blamed the bloc’s “trade and climate policies” for farmers’ discontent in a letter, seen by Euractiv, sent on Thursday (22 February) to MEP Norbert Lins, chairman of the Parliament’s agriculture committee. Lins had written to Wojciechowski on Tuesday (20 February), calling for “political leadership” and making demands to ease farmers’ discontent. 

EU Council pushes ahead with Ukraine trade benefits as MEPs seek more farming safeguards. EU ambassadors endorsed on Wednesday (21 February) the Commission’s proposal to extend trade liberalisation with Ukraine without amendments. Meanwhile, MEPs on the Parliament’s agriculture committee (AGRI) sided with farmers and tabled 127 amendments. 

The Commission will withdraw the pesticide regulation by 31 March. “It has become a symbol of polarisation,” said Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič in a letter sent on Wednesday (21 February) to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and Belgian Deputy Permanent Representative, Pierre Cartuyvels. In a statement published on Friday (23 February), 125 NGOs called for “an ambitious regulation” to reduce pesticides use as “a priority of the next EU mandate”.

Consumption of antibiotics in livestock almost halved in seven years, say EU agencies. EU countries have seen a 44% reduction in antibiotic consumption in livestock between 2014 and 2021, according to a joint study published on Wednesday (21 February) by EFSA, ECDC, and EMA. 

EU’s top court rejects legal action challenging the Halloumi PDO. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on Wednesday (21 February) to reject the demand of a Cypriot company to annul the registration of the Cypriot cheese Halloumi in the protected designation of origin EU food list. 

On the same day, the ECJ also clarified the Commission’s broad discretion when renewing the approval of an insecticide. According to the EU law, the Court ruled that, when reapproving a substance, the Commission must take EFSA’s scientific conclusions into consideration but is not bound by them.

Study on impact of trade deals shows EU agri-food balance set to rise slightly. The Commission’s Joint Research Centre found in a study published on Thursday (22 February) that ten free trade agreements between the EU and third countries  – recently concluded or under negotiation – are expected to improve the EU’s trade balance “slightly”, while “sensitive sectors” – notably beef, sheep meat, poultry, rice, and sugar –  would face increased competition. 

[Edited by Angelo Di Mambro/Zoran Radosavljevic]

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