Agri-food trade is essential to both EU and global food systems, operating within a complex, globalized environment. Expected shifts in agricultural production due to climate change and geopolitical challenges will further deepen this integration. Therefore, it is crucial to position agri-food trade as a key element in the “Vision for the Future of Agriculture,” grounded in the recommendations from the “Promoting the Global Transition” chapter of the Strategic Dialogue (SD) Report.
1. How to achieve progress on the “level playing field”/ “diverging standards debate”
DG Trade plays a central role in aligning sustainability in agricultural production with competitiveness in agri-food trade. However, the mission letter of the designated Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security lacks a clear mandate in this area, reflecting a continued shortcoming and overlooking DG Trade’s critical role in sustainability initiatives. In particular, the “level-playing field” debate requires conceptual and systemic solutions, which takes into account all concerns. This includes actors who are occupied by the impact of diverging standards on competitiveness, the global sustainability endeavours of the EU’s agri-food trading partners and the unique geographic and climatic context in which EU operate.
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