The European Union is carving out the legislative framework for so-called Sustainable Food Systems (SFS). In essence, these new regulations would label and then seek to phase out what Europe considers to be the least sustainable food products.
This measure will hit European producers as much as American exports to the EU.
The U.S. already imports more food from Europe than the reverse, resulting in a trade deficit of $24 billion in 2021. The European Commission is not just thinking of phasing out food products from the United States it deems “unsustainable” but also those foodstuffs that were treated with crop protection tools that are commonplace in the world food market.
Consider this: Europe demands that American farmers do not export goods to Europe that were treated with neonicotinoid insecticides (known as neonics), despite the fact that France had to put a three-year pause on its ban because sugar beet farmers were facing extinction.
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The European Economic Area (which comprises the EU and its associated members) has 447 million consumers, representing a significant marketplace for American farmers. However, while America buys European produce and has made continuous attempts at a free trade deal, Europe has wanted to have its cake and eat it too.
