The European Commission has been urged to help European Union food exporters secure sales in overseas markets protected by tough food health standards, by securing more sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreements with non-EU countries.

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A wide-ranging communiqué from the EU Council of Ministers stressed the “importance of actively seeking to eliminate unjustified SPS restrictions in third country markets.”


Ministers also called on EU member states to release details of their national SPS agreements with non-EU countries, to help the Commission negotiate pan-EU deals.


The council added Brussels should monitor other linked international negotiations – the World Trade Organisation is reviewing its SPS rules under the Doha Development Round.

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