MEP Saskia Bricmont (Verts/ALE) has asked the European Commission to clarify the concrete legislative steps and timeline for introducing mirror clauses requiring imported animal products to meet the same animal welfare and production standards as those applied to EU farmers. In a written parliamentary question dated 3 June 2026, Bricmont warns that the current asymmetry undermines EU farmers' competitiveness and risks an animal welfare leakage effect, as foreign producers can ignore EU standards while accessing the single market.
The question references the Commission's commitment in its Vision for Agriculture and Food to propose such rules, a pledge that has been publicly reaffirmed since. Bricmont notes broad support from farmers' organisations and civil society for mirror clauses as a matter of competitive fairness and ethical consistency. She points to legal pathways within the World Trade Organization framework, notably under GATT Article XX(a) on public morals and Article XX(b) on human and animal health, provided measures are proportionate and non-discriminatory.
1) what concrete legislative steps the Commission intends to take and by when; 2) how it will coordinate across relevant directorates-general (Trade, Agriculture, Health and Food Safety, International Partnerships); and 3) how it will inform and cooperate with trade partners to prevent allegations of protectionism.
The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will signal the policy direction on this file, which affects EU farmers, foreign producers, animal welfare standards, and trade relations.