French farmers have rallied in their thousands as concerns over the Mercosur Agreement - a trade deal between the EU and South America - ramp up.
Around eighty protests were held across France on Monday and Tuesday (18-19 November), organised by industry groups FNSEA and Jeunes Agriculteurs (Young Farmers).
The industry worries that the trade agreement would lead to lower-quality agricultural imports from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, which make up the Mercosur bloc.
They fear severe repercussions from the removal or reduction of tariffs on these agricultural products, as well as the inadequacy of health and safety checks.
During the protests, French farmers lit bonfires, blocked roads and covered signs with anti-Mercosur slogans.
France’s Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, has warned farmers that there will be "zero tolerance" for permanent roadblocks.
President Emmanual Macron also issued a statement, aiming to ease farmers of their concerns.
"We will not give up our food sovereignty," he said, "France will not support the EU-Mercosur agreement in its current version.”
And the Minister for Agriculture, Annie Genevard, added: “Regarding Mercosur, I have said it on several occasions – this draft agreement is unacceptable."
A political agreement was reached in June 2019 to open up trade between the EU's 27 member states and the four South American nations which make up the Mercosur bloc.
The deal is seeking to create one of the world's biggest free trade zones, totalling some 750 million people and about one-fifth of the world's economy.
But Arnaud Rousseau, who is president of FNSEA, one of France's major agricultural groups, said: “The question is not that of trading – we want fair trade.
"We do not want imported agriculture that does not apply our standard standards.”
Quentin Le Guillous, secretary general of Jeunes Agriculteurs, added that the agreement would bring in goods produced under conditions that "we do not want."
“We can not hope for generational renewal by promising young people aid because we have authorised imports with Mercosur."
Further anti-Mercosur protests are planned for Wednesday (20 November).
