European farmers oppose EU-South America FTA...pressure on governments

Farmers' groups in Europe are raising pressure on their governments over the prospect of a final free trade agreement (FTA) between the European Union, the South American Common Market and Mercosur within the year.

France's National Farmers' Union and Youth Farmers' Union began their protest in earnest on the 18th local time, with more than 100 farmers protesting in front of local government buildings in southern Montpelli and tractor protesters in Avignon gathering to jointly respond.

In Bordeaux, tractor protests were scheduled from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., and some farmers in the metropolitan area had occupied part of the lanes of Route 118 since the evening before lifting the sit-in earlier in the day.

Farmers in other EU member states, including Germany, Spain, and Italy, are also opposed to an FTA with South America.

The German Farmers' Association (DBV) said it had no plans to protest yet, but insisted that renegotiations were urgent, adding that "EU agriculture can survive only when a mechanism is in place to compensate for the difference between international and European standards."

Spain's Youth Farmers Association, which is particularly concerned about South America's cheap beef imports, has criticized South America as "old and inconsistent."

Italy's leading farmers' group also sent a letter to Prime Minister Jorja Meloni expressing deep concern over the deal, and in the Netherlands, where the poultry and sugar sectors are feared to be threatened, major agricultural groups have urged the government to stop the deal.

Poland says that not only farmers' organizations but also the Ministry of Agriculture should reserve FTAs with South America.

Poland's agriculture ministry noted that the FTA costs most agri-food production sectors, while only industries, transportation and other sectors benefit in part.