Trump's wrong, European food's safer than American, says EU safety chief
Donald Trump’s assertion that US food is safer than its European counterpart is baseless, says the EU’s top food safety official, who insists the bloc’s standards are non-negotiable and cannot be used as a tactic in trade talks.
In a recent attempt to justify now-paused tariffs on agricultural products, the US President claimed that imported food, including from the European Union, is unsafe for American consumers and fails to meet US standards.
“They’re uninspected. They may be very dirty and disgusting, and they come in and they pour in and they hurt our American farmers,” Trump declared in March addressing Congress.
Bernhard Url, executive director of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), has strongly rebuffed these remarks in an interview with Euronews.
“If Mr President was referring to EU food, he’s simply wrong. This cannot be food from the European Union, certainly not,” Url said.
According to Url, the EU’s high standards are ensured by thorough inspections, strict enforcement of food laws, and the scientific oversight provided by EFSA.
Based in Parma, EFSA sits at the heart of a system that monitors the food production chain, with more than five million official controls performed by member states every year.
Related
Food safety, a non-negotiable in trade talksFollowing Trump’s announcement of a 90-day tariff truce, the European Commission now faces a new round of difficult negotiations aimed at preventing a broader trade conflict.
Some in Washington hope Europe will agree to increased imports of US agricultural goods to ease tensions.
However, food safety is expected to be a major sticking point. The EU considers certain US practices, such as the use of growth hormones in beef, insufficient labelling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and the washing of poultry in chlorine, to be public health risks.
Url made it clear that no amount of pressure would persuade the EU to lower its food safety standards.
“I’m absolutely sure: food safety standards are not negotiable,” he said. “We have our European standards, the highest in the world, and they will stay that way. There may be other trade issues to address, but food safety is off the table.”
A system that worksEU food policy takes a more precautionary approach, focusing on long-term safety. By contrast, US regulations are often more risk-tolerant and economically driven. For instance, animal welfare standards in US factory farming are generally lower, prioritising cost efficiency.
Europe’s recent handling of avian influenza outbreaks demonstrates the strength of its food safety systems, Url argued.
While the US is currently facing a growing outbreak of bird flu spreading into dairy herds across 17 states - with around 70 human cases reported - Url noted that Europe, despite having denser animal populations and being more exposed to migratory birds carrying new virus strains, has managed to keep the situation under control.
“Europe is a good example,” he said. “We start from a more challenging position than the US, but we have it [avian flu] under control.”
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