French farmers and trade union representatives have spoken out against the upcoming deal between the European Union (EU) and MERCOSUR (United Markets of Latin America). About thisreportsFranceInfo. Four main French agricultural associations
- The National Federation of Syndicates of Agricultural Exploiters (FNSEA), Young Farmers, the Peasant Confederation and the Coordination of Rural Areas - called the impending agreement a disaster. According to FNSEA spokesman Nicolas Lagarde, under a free trade agreement with Mercosur, cattle shipments from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia could enter the European Union with reduced taxes. “This will allow us to import products without any traceability and without any of the rules that are imposed on us here,” he explained.
- The National Federation of Syndicates of Agricultural Exploiters (FNSEA), Young Farmers, the Peasant Confederation and the Coordination of Rural Areas - called the impending agreement a disaster. According to FNSEA spokesman Nicolas Lagarde, under a free trade agreement with Mercosur, cattle shipments from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia could enter the European Union with reduced taxes. “This will allow us to import products without any traceability and without any of the rules that are imposed on us here,” he explained.
Sheep farmer Francois Soulard said no free trade agreement had ever benefited farmers. Grain producer and winemaker Geoffrey Couloumi of the Young Farmers' Union added that the French did not need to look to South America for food because local producers could feed them. “The government must protect our agriculture and stop signing free trade agreements. We just want to make a living from our craft,” said Justin Losson of Rural Coordination.
France has long opposed the agreement with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay as local farmers and meat and poultry producers want assurances that their Latin American competitors comply with EU health and environmental standards, including on antibiotics and pesticides. Earlier, French farmers staged tractor protests and threatened to block roads to Paris. Already, Latin American producers are the region's largest suppliers of beef and poultry, and a potential agreement would significantly increase those volumes, hurting local producers, farmers warn.
France has long opposed the agreement with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay as local farmers and meat and poultry producers want assurances that their Latin American competitors comply with EU health and environmental standards, including on antibiotics and pesticides. Earlier, French farmers staged tractor protests and threatened to block roads to Paris. Already, Latin American producers are the region's largest suppliers of beef and poultry, and a potential agreement would significantly increase those volumes, hurting local producers, farmers warn.
