Protest against Mercosur: 10 000 farmers expected in Brussels

On 18 & 19 December, the European Union (EU) will hold a summit in Brussels, where European countries and governments will discuss the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and a possible free trade agreement with Mercosur. At the same time, European farmers are preparing for a major protest to highlight the future of the EU's agricultural policy and the possible threats to national interests. European agricultural associations are calling on farmers to mobilise for a protest in Brussels on 18 December. Around 10,000 protesters from different EU countries are expected to attend.

Farmers' protest in response to Mercosur deal

The EU-Mercosur free trade agreement between Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay has been on the table for many years.

EU authorities are hopeful that the agreement will be gradually ratified, but the European farming community is concerned about its impact on the internal market.

Copa-Cogeca – the umbrella organisation of EU farmers' associations and cooperatives – has previously stressed that the envisaged agreement is "unacceptable" and calls for fair, transparent trade rules to protect EU standards and sensitive sectors such as the dairy and meat industry.

Farmers stress that the Mercosur agreement could lead to large imports of agricultural products into the EU, which they say could destabilise prices and threaten local producers.

Lithuania, including the Ministry of Agriculture, has so far failed to take a clear position and is more on the sidelines, waiting to see what other EU member states have to say.

Legal aspects and the EU response

Recently, the EU Council adopted a regulation to protect EU agriculture from price collapses caused by Mercosur imports.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has so far no intention of examining the legality of this agreement, although last week 145 MEPs submitted a request to the ECJ. This means that the legal mechanism that could ensure the protection of farmers' interests is currently not in place.

Bernd Lange, Chair of the EU Parliament's Trade Committee, hopes that a majority of MEPs will support the Mercosur agreement.

Protest and objectives

Copa-Cogeca plans to organise a major rally in Brussels to stress the importance of a strong and well-funded EU agricultural policy. The organisation is calling on farmers not only to protest against the Mercosur agreement, but also to demand clear priorities for EU agricultural policy that ensure stable funding and protection against market volatility.

About 40 agricultural associations from all over Europe have confirmed their participation in the demonstration. The German Farmers' Association (DBV) is also planning to send a delegation. Copa-Cogeca points out that the protest will take place just a few hours before EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is due to travel to Brazil to sign the agreement, which makes the symbolic timing of this action particularly important.

The EU summit will not only discuss the Mercosur agreement, but also the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which will determine the financial future of the EU's agricultural sector. Copa-Cogeca wants to ensure that farmers' voices are heard and that political decisions do not leave European farmers in a weak position.

Farmers say that EU Commission measures often show a contradictory approach: ambitions are declared but concrete actions can lead to a retreat from the EU's real agricultural objectives.