Brussels, 04/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - Ahead of the exchange of offers later this month between EU and South American negotiators, EU farm organisations represented by COPA-COGECA have published research in support of their argument that a free trade deal between the EU and Mercosur would totally destroy the European beef industry. In a letter to EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Cioloº, COPA-COGECA says the potential loss to the EU beef industry could amount to some €25 billion and could generate greater price volatility and a huge rise in imports into the EU of pork, poultry and corn from the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay).
Mercosur produces the same farm products as the EU and already supplies more than 90% of the EU27's beef imports, so farm organisations fear that greater liberalisation of trade would increase EU dependence on imports and compromise food security. Along with the danger of many products no longer being produced in the EU, the vastly increased food miles caused by such a deal would double the carbon footprint. COPA-COGECA's research outlines further concerns about how meat is produced in Mercosur countries, particularly traceability and the use of hormones. (E.H./transl.fl)