OREANDA-NEWS  French farmers and trade unionists have voiced their opposition to the forthcoming agreement between the European Union (EU) and MERCOSUR, a regional trade bloc encompassing Latin American countries. This information was reported by FranceInfo.

The four leading French agricultural organizations — the National Federation of Agricultural Exploiters' Syndicates (FNSEA), Young Farmers, the Peasant Confederation, and Rural Coordination — have described the upcoming agreement as a catastrophe.

According to FNSEA representative Nicolas Lagarde, under the free trade agreement with MERCOSUR, cattle from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia can enter the European Union with reduced taxes.
"This will allow us to import products without any traceability or rules imposed on us here," he explained.

Sheep farmer Francois Soular stated that no free trade agreement has yet benefited the peasants.
The French government must safeguard our agricultural sector and halt the process of signing free trade agreements. We simply wish to earn a living through our craft,» said Justin Losson, representing Rural Coordination.
France has been opposed to the agreement with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay for a long time. Local farmers and meat and poultry producers demand guarantees that their Latin American counterparts adhere to EU standards for hygiene and the environment, including regarding the use of antibiotics and pesticides.

In the past, French farmers have organized protests on tractors, threatening to block roads leading to Paris. Latin American producers are already the largest suppliers of beef and poultry meat to the region, and a potential agreement would significantly increase these imports, which would harm local producers, farmers warn.