But farmers in the West Country in particular, want more direct action and they have been upset that Mr Gill has not manned their barricades against French imports.

BBC: Ben Gill - farmers' leader under pressure

After an initial period of distrust, the Harlequins squad is just as appreciative of the different ideas its French imports have brought to the game as Sale is of the contribution of its New Zealanders.

ECONOMIST: The pros and cons of free trade in rugby players: An English case study | The

Ironically, Germany, once a net power exporter, now imports electricity from French nuclear facilities and fossil-powered plants in neighboring countries.

FORBES: A Top German Environmentalist Cools On Global Warming

As well as the island's power station, Guernsey imports electricity from the French grid via cable links between France and Jersey and between the islands.

BBC: Guernsey Electricity generator launch delayed

British poultry producers were being undercut by "continuing cheap imports" with the French and Italian governments helping their producers with the cost of transporting it to the UK, he said.

BBC: Chicken roast dinner

According to The National Union of French Apiculture, or Unaf, the increase in honey imports has encouraged an illegal multi-million euro market of honey coming mainly from China, which, at 350, 000 tons per year, has become the largest honey producer in the world.

FORBES: Today's Mystery: Europe's Bees Disappear Yet Honey Increases

Although imports have become dearer, those relatively affluent consumers who favour French cosmetics and German cars are unlikely to find Russian goods acceptable substitutes.

ECONOMIST: A detour or a derailment?

Concerns have been raised by banana growers in the EU's outermost regions - namely the Canary Islands and the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean - that they will lose out to cheaper imports from Colombia and Peru.

BBC: EU trade agreement with Peru and Colombia backed by MEPs