Summary
Donald Trump has announced plans to impose 25% tariffs on the European Union, claiming the bloc was “formed to screw the United States.”
While details are pending, he suggested the levies would target cars and other imports. The EU, a major U.S. trading partner, has vowed immediate retaliation, with potential tariffs impacting $29.3 billion in exports.
French President Emmanuel Macron had attempted to dissuade Trump, urging focus on China instead.
Critics, including economists and conservative media, warn the tariffs could harm the U.S. economy.
As EU citizen, I don’t think that’s a good deal for us, as we are importing food that do not match our environmental criterias. It’s anti-concurrential for inside food producers that have to conform these environmental laws. It would have been good if the deal was to import things that were produced respecting our laws (no offense).
Do you know the food standards laws, or are you assuming? We are not the US, our laws are much stricter. As an example, I saw someone in the EU say Canada would never want your dairy laws because we would have to pasteurize our milk which would increase the price. Thing is… we do pasteurize our milk. That’s already a rule.
But that’s irrelevant anyway. Freetrade means free of duty or tariff, not free of regulations. Any Canadian goods (including food) sold in the EU, must meet EU standards.
So if your objection is legal criteria, there is no substance to your objection.
I don’t know much about food standards laws. A bit of french ones, but not international. Most of it is assumed based on what I heard from news and agricultors back when the treaty was validated! So, what you basically say is that Canada also have high standards, and that’s a good news. No GMO? Some organic food (no pesticids)? I’ve never been to your country, but I will come to visit in the future :) Thank you for your answer.
Mandatory pro-GMO video https://youtu.be/7TmcXYp8xu4 TLDR: all our food is genetically manipulated. GMO is simply a method to make better targeted interventions.
I’ve been studying biology and genetics at univ., so I understand the topic very well. The problem with GMO is not the technique per se, but the fact that companies can lock agricultors with specific pesticids, regardless of the damage they can do to environment. For example, Gluten molecule was made stronger by French scientists, for the agricultural lobbies during 90-2010, and now a lot of people suffer from this.
Canada has higher standards, but not as high as they should be. To be clear, the food we sell locally will not necessarily meet EU standards (but most probably would anyway), but the food we sell to you must meet EU standards.
Also, we love visitors to Canada. Toutes mes excuses, le français Québécois est très différent du français parlé en Europe.
I hope you do visit.