On Tuesday 4 February, Belgian MEPs spoke out against the negative effects of the free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur countries on food sovereignty in Europe (see EUROPE 13569/7).
The Fédération wallonne de l’agriculture (FWA) co-organised this exchange of views, which was also attended by representatives of EU organisations and cooperatives (Copa-Cogeca) and the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT).
Saskia Bricmont (Greens/EFA, Belgian), who instigated the event, deplored the lack of competition controls on agricultural products from Mercosur countries. She felt that the compensation fund envisaged by the European Commission, but whose contours are very vague, will not be sufficient. She stressed the importance of “building majorities in the European Parliament and the Council against the agreement” and pointed out that Belgium was likely to abstain at the time of the vote. Ms Bricmont noted an unprecedented combination of interests (farming unions, NGOs, various political parties) against the EU/Mercosur agreement.
Delphine Ladouce, from the Union des agricultrices wallonnes (UAW), felt that the Mercosur countries had no rules on animal welfare and that their environmental standards were “virtually non-existent”.
Several MEPs and speakers assured us that only the large groups (agribusinesses) in the Mercosur countries will make profits at the expense of small farmers in Europe and South America.
Critics of the agreement have also pointed to unfair competition and deforestation in third countries.
Éric Sargiacomo (S&D, French), who took part in the debate, said that EU farmers “need to be protected”. He called for reciprocal standards and a certificate guaranteeing the quality of products imported from these third countries.
Benoît Cassart (Renew Europe, Belgian) highlighted the risk of relocation of EU production due to unfair competition.
Estelle Ceulemans (S&D, Belgian) in particular cited the need to prevent farmers’ discontent from being exploited by the far right.
Ivan Ivanov, from EFFAT, spoke of the negative effects on working conditions and wages for farmers in the EU. For Copa-Cogeca, this is an “outdated”, agreement, which will affect sensitive EU agricultural products such as milk, sugar and meat. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)