Interview: EU standards in Foodstuffs “are not in negotiation,” says the European Commission

The European Commissioner of Commerce, Maroš šefčovič, states that EU standards in food and food “are not in negotiation.”

In an interview with Euronews, šefčovič appealed to a fair and balanced agreement with the United States, in a public negotiation table.

The Secretary of Commerce of the United States, Howard Lutnick, the commissioner šefčovilear main interlocutor, criticized the regulations of the EU last month that prevent the European market of some meats and chickens from the United States due to the use of hormones considered insecure by Brussels.

“The European Union does not accept the United States chicken. It does not accept lobsters.

The EU proposed a commercial agreement with zero rate with the United States, but Washington says that this is not enough; The White House said you want better access to the EU market.

“I think we have been quite clear in stating that we want to preserve our regulatory autonomy,” said Commissioner šefčovič to Europe’s conversation.

“If these are health and safety problems, it is clear that these are not subject to negotiations,” he said.

ŠEFčovič also rejected Washington’s narrative that the EU does not accept its agricultural products and said that in the United States there is a elimination of hormonal products towards more organic products.

“It is not a 100% correct statement because we accept their products if they respect the health standards of the European Union and, as much as I am following the discussions in the United States, they also point to healthier foods, less chemical products and focus on organic production,” he said.

The United States imposed 25% tariffs on cars, steel and EU aluminum in March and 20% on other EU products in April, when Trump’s White House called “Liberation Day.”

Then he reduced the 20% rate until July 8, establishing a 90 -day window for conversations to reach a broader public agreement. The EU and the United States are now involved in conversations that are expected to expire in early July after the president of the United States, Donald Trump, opened a 90 -day window to negotiate.

ŠEFčovoč said he was pressing for a fair and balanced agreement with the United States and said that the governments of the EU member states would not accept any results that imposed EU punitive tariffs.

The recent United Kingdom agreement with the USA. Included 10%tariffs. Member States have made it clear that this will not be accepted.

“The very clear message that I received from our ministers of Commerce insisted on a balanced agreement with the United States,” he told Euronews when asked if he would accept an agreement similar to the United Kingdom.

The EU negotiator now seeks a balanced agreement with Washington, stating that he is ready to negotiate with US partners.

“We are already paying 25% of customs duties to steel, we are already paying 25% on cars and we believe that this is not fair. Therefore, we want to solve it through negotiated solutions, but, of course, we are also preparing,” said šefčovič.

“Alternatively, we would have to protect European jobs and European companies, so we started consultations about any re -quilibrium measure.”

However, it says that the EU is ready to implement up to 95 billion euros in hired if negotiations cannot solve the commercial deficit.

A new series of American products, including aerospace giant products and alcoholic products, such as bourbon, may be the objective of possible customs rights by the EU.