France stops imports of food with traces of banned pesticides

France has formalised a ban on the import of food products containing traces of five pesticides currently banned in the European Union (EU).

The move is aimed at easing farmers' opposition to the EU-South American trade bloc's Mercosur agreement.

The five substances include the fungicides mancozeb, thiophanate-methyl, carbendazim and benomyl, which are used on a wide range of products from avocados and mangoes to wheat and soybeans. The fifth substance – glufosinate – is an herbicide widely used on potato crops.

All these substances are banned in the EU because of health risks, but current rules do not prohibit the importation into the Community of foods containing traces of them.

This French measure still needs the approval of the European Commission (EC), which it will examine on 20 January, the French agriculture ministry said.

EC officials have already said they are ready to renegotiate rules on traces of banned pesticides, which would affect only a small proportion of produce sales in the Community.