With the European Parliament set to vote on whether to refer the Mercosur trade deal to the European Court of Justice, delaying its implementation, farmers from across the continent have gathered in Strasbourg to continue to protest the deal, which they say will undercut production.
French farmers are leading a two-day protest in Strasbourg to try to convince MEPs to delay the implementation of the Mercosur free trade deal between the European Union and Latin American countries.
Nearly 1,000 tractors have been parked front of the European Parliament building, and some 5,000 farmers gathered – even from countries that ratified the deal.
“Even if some countries are in favour of Mercosur, inside countries there are MEPs who are strongly questioning it and it could come down to just a handful of votes, so we must keep up the pressure,” said Hervé Lapie, general secretary of the FNSEA, France’s leading farming union.
French farmers say EU/Mercosur trade deal will put them out of business
Pressure on MEPs
Farmers hope to meet MEPs before they vote on Wednesday whether or not to ask the European Court of Justice to review the deal, which would slow the ratification process.
The trade agreement, which was signed on Saturday in Paraguay, would create one of one of the largest free trade zones in the world, between the EU and Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Negotiations began in 1999, with most EU member states supporting the deal, which would help certain sectors and expand trade opportunities.
France has taken the lead in opposing it in recent years, under pressure from farmers concerned about tax-free agricultural imports.
Under the terms of the agreement, the EU would gain increased access to Latin American markets for exports of cars, machinery and wines and spirits, while allowing imports of beef, sugar, rice and soy.
Farmers warn that these agricultural products might not be properly screened to meet EU environmental and safety standards and would be cheaper, undercutting European producers.
France looks to European Parliament to sink Mercosur trade deal
The European Parliament must vote on the deal itself in April or May. But before then, lawmakers will decide on Wednesday whether it should be reviewed by the Court of Justice.
A resolution introduced by 150 MEPs from different political groups is calling for the court to evaluate the legal basis of the deal and its compatibility with EU treaties.
If it is approved, the review could slow down the ratification of the trade deal by several months, and the court could require modifications.
From farm to plate
In France, opposition to Mercosur is spreading beyond farmers. Several departments have announced measures to ban products from Latin America in school meals.
The Loiret department said last week that it will vote on Friday on a proposal to stop purchasing meat from Latin America for its middle school canteens, which serve some 24,000 meals a day.
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Department president Marc Gaudet said any additional cost would be absorbed by the local authorities, and he expressed hope that it would encourage similar moves by cities – which run primary school canteens – and the region.
On Monday, the Côte-d'Or department in Burgundy announced a similar proposal.
"We cannot accept unfair competition that puts our farmers in danger,” department president François Sauvadet told local radio.
He said the ban would also help boost the amount of local ingredients used in school lunches, which currently stands at 55 percent, with a target of 80 percent by 2027.
