French farmers escalated their protests against the proposed European Union-Mercosur trade agreement on Monday, staging widespread demonstrations across the country to voice concerns about unfair competition and environmental risks, The Associated Press reports.
Dozens of farmers, backed by their government, blocked roads, occupied a government building, and engaged in other disruptive actions, including setting fire to vine stems in Bordeaux and blocking the “Europe Bridge” in Strasbourg.
The demonstrations, coordinated by the FNSEA and other agricultural unions, included a significant disruption in Beauvais, where farmers used tractors to block traffic before occupying and vandalizing a government office responsible for enforcing environmental regulations. Manure and tires were dumped in front of the building before the protesters moved to the local prefecture to set up a noisy protest camp. The FNSEA reported over 85 demonstrations nationwide.
The EU-Mercosur agreement, initially reached in 2019, aims to boost economic ties between Europe and South America (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia) by eliminating tariffs on various goods. Proponents highlight increased market access for European businesses, especially in machinery, chemicals, and automobiles. However, the deal has faced staunch opposition from French farmers and some European governments, primarily due to concerns about a surge in South American agricultural imports produced with allegedly lower environmental and health standards.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that the agreement is “unacceptable as it stands,” echoing the concerns of French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard, who has publicly opposed the deal citing deforestation risks and health concerns related to hormone-treated meat. President Emmanuel Macron has also expressed criticism, demanding that South American producers meet EU standards before the agreement is finalized.
The protests come amid fears that the agreement could be finalized at the upcoming G20 summit in Brazil or shortly thereafter. France lacks veto power, raising concerns that a partial deal, unsatisfactory to French farmers, could be agreed upon without their consent. Other EU nations, such as Germany and Spain, favor a comprehensive agreement, with Spanish Farm Minister Luis Planas Puchades arguing that the deal’s implications extend beyond agriculture, emphasizing the importance of maintaining Europe’s economic influence globally.
Further fueling farmer discontent is a recent European Commission audit that identified hormone use in Brazilian beef exports. The Coordination Rurale union, linked to the far-right, has announced plans for further action, including food freight blockades, starting Tuesday. The demonstrations aim to pressure both the French government and EU officials to either renegotiate or entirely block the controversial trade agreement.
