More than 600 French parliamentarians, deputies, senators or European parliamentarians, said Tuesday, November 12, in an article published in The Worldtheir opposition to the trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur. They denounce “unfair competition” for farmers, due to less restrictive standards in South America, which could result in “a health risk” for consumers. On the other hand, the EU would export its cars, its machines, its pharmaceutical products, and Germany, Spain and even Portugal benefit from it. France finds itself isolated and the big losers are the farmers.
The FNSEA and Young Farmers are calling to mobilize from Monday, November 18, with rallies against the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur. This date is the start of the G20 meeting in Brazil. The Peasant Confederation has already participated in several demonstrations, in the European district of Brussels or in front of the Ministry of the Economy. Unlike the other unions, the Confédération paysanne does not want an agreement under any pretext. Its spokesperson Laurence Marandola, also a farmer in Ariège, explains why.
franceinfo: At the Peasant Confederation, are you also calling on farmers to come out of the fields and farms to show their anger?
Laurence Marandola : We are historically mobilized against Mercosur. The Peasant Confederation and the dismantling of the McDo in Millau in 1999 were already to point out the absolutely toxic effects, extremely painful for agriculture, of these free trade agreements. And we have been mobilized all this week, since Tuesday very strongly, ahead of the G20.
Yesterday we were in Paris in front of the Ministry of Economy and Finance in Bercy. We were in Brussels with trade unionist colleagues from all European countries, to show that European farmers are generally against this agreement. And we are on the ground with very symbolic actions: limousines against Limousin cows, cars against cattle, to show the absurdity of this free trade agreement.
“In fact, Europe wants to sell cars, Rafales, services and impose the import of agricultural products, beef, poultry, sugar, ethanol, at unbeatable prices.”
Laurence Marandola, spokesperson for the Peasant Confederationat franceinfo
If imported products are so low cost, it is because the production conditions are not the same, but they arrive on our markets in direct competition with our products. As a result, it will quite directly destroy a large number of peasant farms in our territories.
All French politicians are today against this Mercosur agreement. Emmanuel Macron spoke on the subject and 600 parliamentarians wrote to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Why such a protest against French politicians today? Is it because the farmers are precisely against it?
Probably, but it is a fairly ambiguous position from President Macron or Michel Barnier. The government says 'we are against this agreement as it stands'. Nuance is extremely important. That is to say that with adjustments, it could happen, but there is no adjustment possible for this free trade agreement. It is broadly based on agricultural issues.
And therefore it is bad for all of French agriculture ?
It is bad for certain sectors. This agreement will make it possible to export at preferential rates, in particular, spirits, dairy products and olive oil. So for these sectors, one might think that it is good. I would like to reiterate that free trade agreements have existed for a long time. On milk, we have CETA with Canada which has not been ratified but which is operational. Europe and France export dairy products. There are companies, multinationals like Lactalis, which do business. But in these cases, not a single penny has flowed into a better price paid to dairy farmers.
Aren't there sectors that would benefit from this free trade agreement being effective? You talked about wines and spirits, but Donald Trump plans to heavily tax French wines, even though it is a very big market. What do you say today to French wine growers who are in great difficulty?
It is said that large countries like the United States, like China, like Brazil are applying protective measures. Why wouldn't Europe and France equip themselves with regulatory tools and cost protection for imports, which is what will happen to us for beef? Today, we must protect agriculture and our food.
“It is absolutely essential to exchange, to trade, but with fair rules that protect farmers and our production.”
Laurence Marandola, spokesperson for the Peasant Confederationat franceinfo
According to the European Commission, this agreement grants 99,000 tonnes of beef. This is 1.6% of European production. Doesn't that change much then?
These 99,000 tonnes with zero customs duty are added to 200,000 tonnes with very reduced customs duties. On beef, with all the current and future free trade agreements, we will arrive at approximately 7% of imported meat – with extremely preferential conditions -. This is more than enough to destabilize a European market, to destabilize the price of beef.
So, as the government says, we should not sign this free trade agreement as it stands?
No, what we said to Michel Barnier is that we demand from France a clear and firm refusal of the agreement. Point. Adjustments, these mirror clauses to try to regulate things a little, are not possible. We have already built some and they are not applied. For example, the question of imported deforestation concerns beef, because in South American countries, it is done on old forests that have been razed, burned, on which soy or animals are going to be put. Europe has adopted a mechanism to say that we do not want imported deforestation. But we have just agreed to postpone this regulation by another year. So it doesn't work. Other mirror clauses spoke of breeding in South America, which is treated with hormones and antibiotics banned in Europe. We have just had a report which shows that we are massively importing poultry with antibiotics and beef treated with hormones. We are incapable of tracing and controlling these mechanisms.
You don't want an agreement at all, does that differentiate you from Young Farmers, the FNSEA and Rural Coordination?
Yes, we are asking the Barnier government for very clear expression on this and to put in place all possible mechanisms to prevent the signing of this agreement. When I say that, I also say that we are in favor of trade, but on other fairer rules, which protect farmers here, on the other side of the world and in all sectors.
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