A modernised EU-Mercosur free trade agreement would represent a dead end for EU farmers and citizens, EU agricultural organisations and cooperatives (Copa-Cogeca) said on Friday 24 May.
An update on the status of these talks will take place on Monday 27th in Brussels at the ‘Trade’ Council (see other news).
Copa-Cogeca is concerned about recent statements by Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, who believes that a trade agreement between the parties can be reached in the coming months (see EUROPE 12259/29). Several countries recalled their red lines (see EUROPE 12255/21).
“How can the Commission justify to European farmers and citizens that it is considering importing other agricultural products from Brazil, a few months after the Brazilian government authorised 150 new pesticides?”, Copa-Cogeca asked.
Commission representatives are said to have considered that the impact of an EU/Mercosur free trade agreement on sensitive sectors would be 'manageable'. However, for Copa-Cogeca, the European farming sector, which is already under significant pressure, “will face an even tougher struggle for survival, as it will find itself up against massive imports of beef, sugar, poultry, ethanol, rice, orange juice and many other products from these countries”.
For Pekka Pesonen, Secretary General of Copa-Cogeca, trade concessions must be reduced to a minimum for sensitive EU sectors (beef, sugar, poultry, ethanol, rice and orange juice). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)