France will impose stricter controls on several food imports, the government said Sunday, as it seeks to calm growing unrest among farmers who argue they are being undercut by products from countries with less stringent regulations.
The move comes as French farmers continue protests against a proposed European Union trade agreement with the South American Mercosur bloc, as well as domestic concerns ranging from livestock disease controls to rising production costs.
Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard said the new measures are designed to ensure imported food meets the same safety and environmental standards required of producers within the European Union.
Under the plan, France will suspend imports of certain food products found to contain pesticide and fungicide residues that are banned in the EU. Genevard said a decree formalizing the restrictions would be issued in the coming days.
“Imports, wherever they come from, must comply with our standards,” Genevard wrote on X. She added that France was “setting an example in Europe” by introducing what she described as an unprecedented measure covering more than a dozen food products.
According to Genevard, a wide range of produce — including melons, apples, apricots, cherries, strawberries, grapes, and potatoes — will only be allowed on sale in France if testing shows no trace of banned substances.
She said other imports, such as avocados, mangos, guavas, and certain citrus fruits, including shipments from South America and other regions, would also face rejection if they fail to meet EU standards.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said earlier that any imported goods containing traces of prohibited weed and fungus killers would be barred from the French market. The substances cited include mancozeb, glufosinate, thiophanate-methyl, and carbendazim, all of which are banned for use in the EU.
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France has been one of the strongest critics of the proposed EU-Mercosur trade deal, while countries such as Germany and Spain support the agreement. French opponents argue the deal would open the door to cheaper South American agricultural products — particularly beef — that they say do not meet Europe’s environmental and food safety rules.
“Protecting our farmers, safeguarding public health, and standing against unfair competition is non-negotiable,” Genevard said, adding that the European Commission should apply similar measures across the bloc. “If necessary, we will do it again.”
The announcement is likely to intensify debate within the EU over trade policy and regulatory enforcement, as Brussels balances market access with pressure from farmers and national governments.