The European Union’s trade policies are under scrutiny from farming group European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC), which argues that current practices clash with ambitions for sustainability and food sovereignty. In an interview with Euractiv, Andoni Garcia Arriola, a Spanish farmer and ECVC coordinating committee member, advocated for controlling agricultural prices and halting free trade agreements (FTA), including the stalled Mercosur deal.
The ECVC proposes pausing negotiations with Mercosur and freezing existing FTAs, citing concerns over the impact on local agricultural sectors. Despite recent political discussions suggesting potential agreement, concerns persist among EU member states, including fears from farmers and opposition from factions within the European Parliament.
Garcia highlighted the risk of imported products supplanting local agriculture, driving down domestic prices and promoting an export-oriented agricultural model favored by the EU. This stance, Garcia argued, contradicts the objectives outlined in the Green Deal and Farm to Fork Strategy, aimed at enhancing sustainability within EU food systems.
Amid widespread farmer protests earlier this year, the agricultural sector voiced apprehensions that the Mercosur agreement could inundate European markets with competitively priced goods from countries like Argentina and Brazil. However, European Commission data indicates that the proposed import quotas for beef and poultry under the agreement represent a small fraction of the EU’s overall consumption.
Garcia emphasized the need for stricter market regulations and increased support for agricultural labor, advocating not for protectionism but for the restoration of food sovereignty. He also urged a balance in EU trade and agri-food policies that integrates local production and sustainable agricultural practices.
While some political groups within the European Parliament, such as the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), support concluding the Mercosur deal, opposition persists, particularly following recent electoral shifts in France. The path forward remains contentious, reflecting broader debates over EU trade policies and their alignment with environmental and food sovereignty goals.
Related Topics:
