The largest demonstrations took place in Ireland. According to organisers, around 10,000 farmers and agricultural workers gathered in the town of Athlone, chanting “No to Mercosur” and “Our cows follow the rules — why don’t theirs?” Protesters urged the European Parliament and Irish MEPs to vote against ratifying the agreement, arguing that farmers’ interests are being “sacrificed so the Germans can sell more cars.”
In France, which voted against the deal, protests and blockades are ongoing. After tractors reached the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, farmers blocked the A1 motorway between Lille and Paris, as well as roads near Bordeaux, La Rochelle and Bayonne. Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard announced a new €300 million support package and a unilateral ban on imports of vegetables, fruit and other food products containing residues of substances banned in the EU. However, these measures have so far failed to reduce protest activity.
In Poland, around 1,000 farmers drove tractors into central Warsaw, stating that the agreement undermines national agriculture and could open the door to imports that “pose a threat to public health.” Road blockades and demonstrations also took place in Spain, including in Madrid. The regional farmers’ union COAG Andalucia called the agreement a threat to food sovereignty, public health, and the viability of rural areas.
In Belgium, Lode Ceyssens, president of the farmers’ organisation Boerenbond, described the deal as “a slap in the face” for European farmers, stressing that it would open the market to cheaper imported meat and sugar produced under lower sustainability standards, while European producers face rising costs due to stricter environmental requirements.
The European farmers’ and agri-cooperatives organisation Copa Cogeca said the provisional approval was not a surprise, but stressed that despite adjustments announced by the European Commission, farmers remain firmly opposed to the agreement. Copa Cogeca described the deal as “fundamentally unbalanced and fundamentally flawed,” adding that this only strengthens the mobilisation of the farming community.
PigUA.info, based on pigprogress.net