Farmers’ opposition to the free trade agreement with Mercosur
Several dozen tractors drove onto the highway near the town of Vélizy-Villacoublay, located south of Paris. Tractors also hit the streets and bridges in other regions of France. Farmers have not blocked any roads yet, but have threatened to blockade Paris, France Inter radio reported.
France is the largest agricultural producer in European Union. The protests by French farmers coincide with the G20 meeting in Brazil on Monday. Arnaud Rousseau, president of the French farmers’ union FNSEA expects that an agreement on the EU-Mercosur agreement will be reached during this meeting. “This deal carries the risk of dramatic consequences.” – he warned.
France has long opposed the agreement with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. French farmers are demanding guarantees that their Latin American rivals will be required to meet health and environmental standards, including those restricting the use antibiotics and pesticides.
Macron will not sign an agreement with Mercosur
French President Emmanuel Macron has already announced that France will not sign the free trade agreement in its currently proposed form. This declaration was made during a conversation with the President of Argentina, Javier Milei.
Paris counts on the support of the Netherlands, Italy and Poland
On Monday, the French Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard on Radio France Bleu Besancon revealed that Paris is seeking the support of countries such as the Netherlands, Italy and Poland to jointly form the minority necessary to block the deal. According to Genevard, the agreement with Mercosur is not a good agreement and causes deep opposition on the part of farmers.
The main farmers’ unions in France have given the new government until mid-November. Farmers are demanding that Paris protect intra-European trade from cheaper competition from around the world.
Meanwhile, agricultural producers from Mercosur countries are the largest suppliers of beef and poultry to the European Union. Farmers are afraid that the signing free trade agreements would significantly increase the scale of trade with Latin Americawhich could affect European producers.
