Re:How we're scammed into eating phony food
by JoeAltmaier on Monday July 11, 2016 @11:08AM
(#12071547)
That's hard because each country has different standards. Why should Spain have special customs/inspections for goods destined for America? Makes it very hard to export. Simpler by far to inspect inbound with a uniform policy.
As the proportion of international:domestic trade continues to increase, I'm pessimistic it's ever going to be effective to inspect inbound shipments.
Aka blacklist vs whitelist computer security policies
It's too easy for a willful infringer to cloak their goods in the sheer volume of imports. The vast majority of which, by economic necessity, will never be searched in a thorough manner.
Furthermore, if you do detect counterfeit/dangerous goods on the inbound, what can you do without cooperation of the exporting country? About the only option you have available is "ban all X from Y" until the other party does something.
If organic / grass fed / 100% / fish species meant something, then consumers could decide whether they wanted to spend more for quality or save money on alternatives. With a lack of differentiation, race to the bottom prevails.
PS: The shenanigans from international importers are criminal. Trade pacts should include a clause where one-sided tariffs can be legally imposed as punishment for a lack of export policing on the sending country's side.