“Tractors back in Paris”: farmers step up protests against EU-MERCOSUR agreement
13 January 18:34
French farmers took their tractors to the streets of Paris for the second time in a week to protest against the trade agreement between the European Union and the South American bloc MERCOSUR. In their opinion, the agreement that the parties are preparing to sign threatens the future of European — and above all French — agriculture.
This was reported by Reuters , according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Tractors near the parliament and the Arc de Triomphe
Tuesday’s demonstration was organized by FNSEA, one of France’s largest farmers’ unions. According to Paris police estimates, about 350 tractors took part in it.
One convoy gathered again near the Arc de Triomphe, while another arrived at the French parliament building. A similar action took place last week, when another union, Coordination Rurale, unexpectedly drove tractors into the center of Paris — under the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.
Why farmers oppose the agreement
France is the largest producer of agricultural products in the European Union, and it is here that resistance to the agreement with MERCOSUR is particularly vocal. The protests have been going on for several months and have a broader context — farmers in various EU countries are also opposed to trade concessions and internal problems in the industry.
FNSEA Vice President Damien Greffin said the agreement was approved without a clear position from the European Parliament. In his opinion, this opens the door to imports of products that France is capable of producing itself, but to different — lower — standards.
“This will lead to the import of foreign goods that do not meet the standards set for French agriculture,” Gréfin stressed.
Protests go beyond France
Farmers say they will not limit themselves to protests in Paris. According to FNSEA representatives, on January 20, they plan to hold a demonstration near the European Parliament in Strasbourg, trying to draw attention to their demands at the EU level.
The largest free trade area
The protests are taking place on the eve of the signing of the long-awaited trade agreement between the EU and MERCOSUR. The document is expected to be signed on Saturday, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will visit Paraguay on January 17 to attend the ceremony.
The agreement is expected to create the world’s largest free trade area, covering about 700 million people. Supporters of the document talk about new opportunities for exports and economic growth, while critics — primarily farmers — warn of risks to local producers and quality standards.
The signing of the agreement does not mean that tensions will automatically ease. On the contrary, a new wave of protests shows that resistance among farmers is only growing. Whether the tractors in the center of Paris will influence the future of the EU-MERCOSUR agreement is a question that remains to be answered.
