Alarmed consumer advocates express concern over Trump's customs accord
In a statement on August 2, 2025, Ramona Pop, president of the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv), expressed her concerns about the Brussels customs agreement with Washington. The agreement, finalized in July 2025, has sparked controversy due to potential negative consequences for European consumer protection and food standards.
Pop stated that European digital laws being diluted or paused, allowing American digital giants to evade responsibility, would be unacceptable. She further emphasized that consumer rights should not be sacrificed for any deal.
The agreement includes the removal of certain EU certification requirements on U.S. pork and dairy exports, a move described by Washington as eliminating "burdensome" measures. This concession, according to Pop, could pressure the EU to accept lower sanitary and food safety standards than currently enforced.
The Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, a German regional daily newspaper based in Osnabrück, reported on August 2 that the factsheet mentions the simplification of hygiene certificate requirements for US pork and dairy products.
European politicians, such as French MPs and Prime Minister François Bayrou, have criticized the deal as a "dark day" because it reflects what they see as a capitulation to U.S. demands under the threat of increased tariffs, undermining European values and protections. The imposition of a 15% tariff on most EU exports to the U.S. – including sensitive sectors – and unresolved ambiguities in the agreement further create uncertainty that may impact the EU’s ability to enforce its high consumer protection and food safety standards consistently.
The European Commission has rejected the suspicion of making far-reaching concessions to the USA, but details and possible side deals have not yet been published. The provisional nature of the agreement, combined with divergent interpretations between the EU and U.S., raises concerns that consumer and food standards protections might be compromised or diluted in order to maintain the trade relationship.
The photo accompanying the article features Ramona Pop, taken by Caroline Wimmer.
[1] Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, August 2, 2025. [2] The Guardian, August 2, 2025. [3] Politico, August 2, 2025.
- Ramona Pop, president of the vzbv, expressed her opposition to any policy-and-legislation that would allow American digital giants to evade responsibility, stating that consumer rights should not be sacrificed for any deal in the politics of policy-and-legislation.
- European politicians, including French MPs and Prime Minister François Bayrou, have voiced their concerns about the Brussels customs agreement with Washington, questioning whether the agreement will compromise or dilute general-news such as consumer and food standards protections in the EU, in the name of maintaining the trade relationship.
