The result of the European Parliament’s vote on the referral of the Mercosur agreement to the Court of Justice of the European Union sparked joyous reactions among EU farmers, particularly in Strasbourg on Wednesday 21 January, where many of them rallied against the entry into force of this free trade agreement (see other news).
Around 6,000 European farmers demonstrated in Strasbourg on Tuesday 20 January outside the Parliament building to protest against the effects of this trade agreement.
According to the EU’s agricultural organisations and cooperatives (Copa-Cogeca), Parliament’s vote shows that the arguments put forward by the farming community, “which is only asking for fairness, have found an echo with many MEPs, beyond national and political divisions”.
European farmers are calling for “fair and balanced trade, consistent with the EU’s internal policies”, even in times of uncertainty.
According to Farm Europe, the MEPs’ vote is a “strong act in favour of respect for democracy in the face of pressure from the European Commission and certain Member States”. The think tank is calling on the Commission to refocus its action on strengthening European competitiveness and resilience, by developing a modern trade policy “that no longer makes agriculture the adjustment variable in negotiations”, at a time when agricultural sovereignty is considered essential.
“The Commission must now suspend the agreement and refrain from taking any measures to apply or ratify it provisionally, until the Court has delivered its opinion”, according to the European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC).
The French Minister for Agriculture, Annie Genevard, said that until the Court has given its ruling, “ratification of the agreement is suspended. There is no justification for an emergency application”.
Wine exporters penalised. The Comité Européen des Entreprises du Vin (CEEV), for its part, says it is disappointed by Parliament’s decision. “This approach will lead to an 18 to 20 month delay in ratification, creating unnecessary uncertainty for businesses”, emphasises CEEV, which points out that European wine exporters paid over €43 million in customs duties to Mercosur countries in 2025. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)