Disgruntled farmers will protest today on all of France against the proposed trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, which, according to them, will increase competition from abroad, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
The push by the European Union and the South American economic bloc Mercosur to end the years-long trade negotiations by the end of the year has once again sparked anger in France.
Last winter, similar exasperation was expressed by farmers across Europe following an increase in imports from Ukraine following the Russian invasion.
At the moment, the mood in France is even worse because of heavy rains damaged crops, livestock diseases and parliamentary elections, which have delayed the implementation of promised measures to ease the situation of farmers.
„We have the same requests as in January. Nothing has changed. We have to make the government understand that it can't be like this anymore!“, said Armelle Frature, owner of a cow farm located north of Paris.
According to the president of the French National Federation of Farmers' Unions, Arnaud Rousseau, as farmers face cheaper imports, burdensome regulations and miserable incomes, the Mercosur deal will be “bitter icing on the cake”.
Tens of thousands of farms in France, Europe's largest agricultural producer, are in financial trouble, he added.
French farmers fear the Mercosur deal will increase imports of beef, chicken, sugar and corn from Brazil and Argentina, which they say use pesticides and antibiotics not allowed in Europe.
Farmers will protest today and tomorrow mainly in front of government buildings as part of the protests, which are planned to take place until mid-December, Russo said.
Yesterday, President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that he is against the Mercosur agreement in its current form. At the same time, the authorities admit that it will be difficult for them to satisfy the farmers' demands because France has no allies in the European Union in conducting negotiations with the South American bloc.