Thousands of farmers have… Brussels protested against the signing of the trade agreement with the South American Mercosur states. The demonstration on the sidelines of the EU summit is scheduled to take place in front of the EU Council building. The heads of state and government of the 27 EU countries also want to discuss whether Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) should sign the agreement on Saturday.
Von der Leyen met with representatives of the European farmers’ association Copa Cogeca before the summit began. Further discussions between farmer representatives and Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen were planned for the course of the day. Farmers feel they are inadequately protected from cheaper imports from South America. Farmers’ associations in several EU countries have already protested against the agreement.
The several thousand participants blocked access to the EU quarter. Hundreds more tractors are said to be on their way to the Belgian capital, most of them from France. In addition to the agreement, the protests are also directed against planned cuts in EU funding for European agriculture and against regulations EU.
The trade conflict with the USA and China is one reason why the controversial Mercosur agreement is gaining even more political weight. The agreement has been negotiated since 1999. It is intended to create the largest free trade zone in the world with over 700 million inhabitants. Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay currently still impose comparatively high tariffs, which could be eliminated on around 91 percent of the goods traded between the EU and Mercosur states. This would increase the EU’s export opportunities and ensure cheaper purchasing prices.
Resistance also in politics
It’s not just farmers who are against the agreement. “Hungary is one of the countries that does not support Mercosur,” said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Poland is also against it. French President Emmanuel Macron said, Despite initial compromises, there is still not enough assurance that his country’s agricultural markets are adequately protected.
The negotiators of the European Parliament and the EU states
had agreed on a compromise in the dispute over agricultural imports from the Mercosur countries. Accordingly, an investigation should be initiated if import volumes increase by more than eight percent per year. They also agreed on a declaration that sets out EU measures for control, including in the Mercosur countries, as well as to support farmers and ensure compliance with pesticide and animal health standards.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), however, pushed for the agreement to be signed with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia. “This has been negotiated for 25 years now. Now it’s time to come to a decision,” he said. As a key country to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority, applies to Italy – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has so far left her approval open and spoke of postponing.
Brazil gave the EU countries an ultimatum: the agreement, which had been negotiated since 1999 If it is not approved by EU countries in time for the planned signing on Saturday, Brazil will no longer support itsaid President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
