Farmers will gather outside the European Parliament tomorrow (Wednesday, January 22) to protest against the proposed EU-Mercosur trade agreement.
The demonstration on Rue Lucien Febvre in Strasbourg, which is in front of the parliament, is being organised by several French farming organisations, with support from Copa-Cogeca and CEJA.
Final negotiations on the controversial trade deal between the EU and the Mercosur countries of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay were reached last December.
But the agreement still faces scrutiny by the European Parliament and EU countries.
Tomorrow’s event marks the second “flash action” protest by farm organisations following a similar demonstration in Brussels last month.
Protest
Copa-Cogeca stated that for years, farming communities have expressed “firm opposition to this outdated and problematic agreement”.
“While we recognise the EU’s need to deepen trade relations in the current geopolitical context, this must not come at any cost.
“The EU agricultural sector remains particularly vulnerable to the concessions made in the unbalanced agricultural chapter of this agreement.
“Sensitive sectors such as beef, poultry, sugar, ethanol, and rice face heightened risks of market saturation and income loss due to the influx of low-cost products from Mercosur countries.
“This agreement will exacerbate the economic strain on many farms already grappling with high input prices and challenging climatic conditions,” the organisation said.
Copa-Cogeca said “the evidence is overwhelming” that “Mercosur countries do not meet the production standards required of EU agriculture”.
It added that the renewed agreement, while making advancements, still fails to fully address sustainability concerns and the growing divergence in production standards.
“EU farmers and agri-cooperatives are not opposed to trade but advocate for agreements that are fair, balanced, and environmentally sustainable.
“The current EU-Mercosur agreement fails to meet these criteria, using the agricultural sector as a bargaining chip to benefit other industries,” Copa-Cogeca said.
Mercosur
Last week, EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic told the EU Parliament’s Committee for International Trade (INTA) The EU-Mercosur trade agreement is a “win win” deal that paves the way for new export opportunities for EU companies.
Recent analysis from Meat Industry Ireland (MII) shows that the Mercosur deal will see the Irish beef sector would be hit for between €100 million and €130 million.
The Ibec sector association representing beef, pork and lamb processing members said that this would equate to a loss of €75-€95/head.
MII said that once the deal is fully phased in, Mercosur exporters will have additional EU market access of 99,000t of beef and will be better by €400 million per annum.
Under the programme for government, the new government has said it will work with other like-minded EU member states to oppose the deal.