Farmers’ protest to disrupt Brussels on Thursday over Mercosur trade deal
A large farmers’ demonstration on Thursday is expected to cause major traffic disruption in Brussels. Around 10,000 participants from 26 countries are expected to protest the proposed free trade agreement between the EU and the Mercosur bloc of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Farmers fear the agreement would expose them to unfair competition from South American products that do not meet the same environmental, animal welfare and social standards. "The agreement as it stands is fundamentally unfair to farmers and deceives European consumers,” said Lode Ceyssens, president of the Flemish farmer's organisation Boerenbond.
Thursday is also the first day of a European summit in Brussels, at which Mercosur is expected to be a key topic of discussion. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, hopes to sign the deal in Brazil later this week, but approval by member states is far from certain.
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni said on Wednesday that it is "still too early" for Italy to approve the agreement in the coming days. She argued that additional measures to protect the agricultural sector must first be finalised and discussed with farmers. France has also called for a postponement of the vote. Belgium's governments did not manage to find a common position and is expected to abstain.
Concessions from Parliament
In an effort to reassure Mercosur opponents, the European Parliament approved additional safeguard measures for European farmers on Tuesday. MEPs backed tighter monitoring of imports of sensitive products such as beef, poultry and sugar, with the possibility of temporarily reintroducing tariffs if European producers are seriously affected. They also want faster investigations and stronger reciprocity requirements if Mercosur products fail to meet EU standards.
But that has not seemed to deter protesters. On Wednesday, around 70 protesters with some 15 tractors demonstrated at Liège Airport, one of Europe’s largest cargo hubs, to protest the EU's "unjust" trade policy. Although no meat from Mercosur countries currently passes through the airport, farmers fear this could change if the trade deal is signed.
© BELGA PHOTO LAUREANE BARBIER
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