VZCZCXRO6593
RR RUEHMRE RUEHSR
DE RUEHFR #1240 1821648
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301648Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3610
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
INFO RUEHXQ/ALL EUROPEAN UNION POST
RUEHMRE/AMCONSUL MARSEILLE 2018
RUEHSR/AMCONSUL STRASBOURG 0593
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2922
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 6768

UNCLAS PARIS 001240 
 
SIPDIS 
 
BRUSSELS PASS USEU FOR AGMINCOUNSELOR 
STATE PASS USTR FOR MURPHY; 
USDA/OS/SCHAFER/CONNER; 
USDA/FAS FOR OA/YOST/JACKSON/ROSADO; 
OCRA/CURTIS/ALEXANDER; 
ONA/RIEMENSCHNEIDER/YOUNG; 
OFSO/LEE/YOUNG; 
EU POSTS PASS TO AGRICULTURE AND ECON 
GENEVA FOR USTR, ALSO AGRICULTURE 
 
REF: PARIS 001085 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD PGOV WTRO PINR FR
 
SUBJECT:  FRENCH SEEK TO INCORPORATE SOCIETAL PREFERENCES INTO EU 
FOOD REGIME 
 
¶1. Summary:   In a memorandum submitted to the European Council on 
June 23, France moved forward with its plans to require that 
imported products conform to standards for EU production. The stated 
goal is to offset higher costs of European producers due to EU 
"societal" standards for food production.  If approved, this change 
could result in the imposition of tariff and/or non-tariff barriers 
on agricultural imports for non-science, health or safety (and 
likely non-WTO consistent) reasons. The GOF memo confirms that 
France is poised to push harder on the European preference principle 
(reftel) during its Presidency. End Summary 
 
¶2. In an effort to ensure that EU production requirements do not 
place European producers at an economic disadvantage to third 
country exporters, France has put forward a three part proposal for 
food, livestock and plant imports.  First, import controls would be 
strengthened at all EU points of entry to ensure the safety and 
compliance of imported products with EU regulations. Comment: France 
has often complained that border inspections and controls are too 
lax in some Member States, allowing third country imports to escape 
strict EU regulations. 
 
¶3. Second, there would be a greater emphasis and application of SPS 
risk analysis to manage risk factors associated with imports. The 
European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) would play a more important role 
in such scientific assessments of risks to human, animal and plant 
health posed by goods imported to the European Union.  Equivalent 
protection systems in third countries would be considered, but the 
EU would be more vigilant in their assessment of equivalency status. 
 EU inspections, particularly in the plant sector, would be 
increased and penalties for failure to comply would be more 
stringent. 
 
¶4. Third, to eliminate distortion in levels of production costs 
between EU and third-country producers, imports would have to comply 
with EU production.  For example, incorporating societal choices, 
such as animal welfare and traceability requirements, into 
agricultural production and food standards raises the costs of 
production for EU producers, and these types of requirements would 
also have to be met by imported products.  France is looking to have 
these types of societal choices integrated more widely into 
international trading standards to keep their producers competitive 
by raising the costs of third country trading partners. 
 
¶5. Comment:  This initiative has become Agriculture Minister 
Barnier's foremost priority for the French EU Presidency and has the 
support of President Sarkozy.  The European Preference (EP) 
principle (i.e. the principle that EU products should receive 
preferential treatment compared to imported goods, or at least, not 
be put at a disadvantage) illustrated by this memorandum is also a 
cornerstone of France's objectives for the Common Agricultural 
Policy reform of 2013 (reftel).  The EP principle appears to be 
gaining support among EU Agriculture Ministers (Austria, Bulgaria, 
Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, 
Luxemburg, Poland, Romania and Slovenia), but whether other elements 
of EU government will support such a proposal, which clearly 
challenges (and likely contravenes) current WTO protocols, remains 
to be seen. End Comment. 
 
STAPLETON