What Is The EU-Mercosur Trade Deal And Why Are French Farmers Mobilizing For Protests?

French farmers take to the streets this week protesting a proposed EU-Mercosur trade deal, saying it jeopardizes their lifestyle. A deal between the European Union and the South American trade bloc Mercosur, including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia, has fired up the issue primarily among French farmers.

Protests will take place across the country, with actions announced for prefectures and key traffic points. Tractor blockades appeared along highways south of Paris On November 17 night, and actions had taken place in advance of this week’s protests.

Their main concern is that the trade agreement would open the floodgates of South American agricultural products on the European market. These are often produced with less stringent environmental standards, such as laxer controls over pesticide use and deforestation. That, they say, would compete unfairly with local farming practices, which have stricter environmental requirements.

A Deal Years In The Making

The EU and Mercosur signed an initial accord in 2019. The talks were recently threatened to be scuttled as several European governments and French farmers opposed the proposed pact. France was one of the vocal opponents of the proposal for its economic and environmental implications.

French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, recently sided with the protesting farmers, terming the deal as “unacceptable as it stands.” He cited a rough imbalance in the imposition of stringent environmental restrictions on French sectors without South American nations facing the same pressure. “It’s unthinkable that we would ask for tough restrictions on our sectors but not from our commercial partners,” Barrot said.

Protests have a peculiar timing: apprehensions are that the package may be finalised at the G20 summit to be held in Brazil on November 18-19, or within a fortnight. France is in a pretty tricky position because it does not enjoy any veto power in the negotiations going on within the EU. Other European countries like Germany and Spain want the deal to sail through as they feel the trade with South America will benefit them greatly.

Spanish Farm Minister Luis Planas Puchades defended the deal as representing larger geopolitical ambitions. “Does the European Union want to close in on itself? Or does it want to expand its trade network so it can maintain its economic and commercial influence?” he emphasized. He said that in light of the changed political dynamics in North America, the world position of the EU is also at risk.

Protests Led By Unions

EU-Mercosur is highly opposed by powerful unions such as FNSEA and Young Farmers, who loudly objected to provisions such as the imports of duty-free beef, poultry, and sugar. These, they claim, will stand directly at odds with French agricultural products, especially in comparison to those produced under much stricter environmental and health standards.

Coordination Rurale, an association with ties to the extreme right, has called for an “agricultural revolt,” in which on Tuesday freight shipments of foodstuff along France’s southwest coast are to be obstructed.

Environmental And Health Concerns

Opponents to the trade deal cite also serious environmental concerns, mainly that it may result in increased clearance cuts of South American nations. French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard warned the deal might allow products, such as hormone-treated meat, into European Union stores. “We do not want this agreement because it is destructive,” Genevard said in a TF1 interview. “It will bring in products that will make unfair competition to our domestic production and contribute to deforestation.”

President Emmanuel Macron himself has expressed concerns, further stating that France will not support the deal unless South American producers meet EU standards for environmental and health protection. Things are a lot riskier for farmers and the EU alike.

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