EU to lower food restrictions from China

The European Union said it would lower restrictions on some food product imports from China to make up for potential losses by the country when 10 countries join the group on May 1 and adopt EU import rules.

The EU is obligated by World Trade Organisation rules to compensate China for the value of garlic and mushrooms exports to Poland, Hungary, Estonia and other joining countries, which would fall when they adopt the bloc’s trading rules, said Franz Fischler, EU commissioner for agriculture, rural development and fisheries.

“We are expecting to get trade figures from China on how big the trade in garlic and mushrooms was until now with the 10 candidate countries, and on that basis we can then negotiate,’ Fischler said. “I do see much scope for improvement’ in agricultural trade between the EU and China.”