Unions across EU 'share the view' that Mercosur deal will be 'detrimental to European agriculture'

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00:00Now once again today, French farmers are blocking a highway between France and Spain in protest

00:07at a possible deal between the European Union and the South American Mercosur bloc. If signed,

00:13that would create the world's largest free trade zone. Now those protesting say the deal

00:20would bring in cheaper products from abroad and thus threaten their livelihoods.

00:29We are against Mercosur because that will be the death of our French agriculture. Because

00:36we cannot fairly compete since these people do not respect the same environmental laws

00:42as us. It's unacceptable.

00:47For the moment we are really waiting for the Prime Minister to speak as he said he would.

00:52I hope he'll do it very quickly. And after that, once he's spoken and perhaps written,

00:58we'll go home and wait to see what happens, to see if it's really implemented, to see

01:04if it's a government we can trust or not.

01:08Well, I'm joined now on the programme live by the journalist Angelo Di Mambro. He's the

01:16EU agriculture editor at Euroactive. Thanks for talking to us today.

01:22Thanks Nadia for having me.

01:24Look, I want to ask you about something we just heard in one of those soundbites from

01:29the farmers. One of them saying that if this goes through, this will be the death of French

01:35agriculture. Is he right? Is it that serious?

01:43So let's say that the agreement is a comprehensive agreement. It's not just on agriculture, of

01:50course. Among those signed by the European Union in recent years is the one that eats

01:57the most agriculture. And let's say that many other agriculture farming unions and organisations

02:10in Europe share the view that the agreement is detrimental to European agriculture.

02:18It has to be said also that there are some sectors like the beef and poultry, for instance,

02:27that are interested the most, and sugar as well, while others like wine or cheese could

02:36take advantage of the agreement. So it's a mixed picture. I see that France is the country

02:46in which the debate is more heated on the topic. As far as the other countries, as I said,

02:56usually farmers' organisations are against. I can mention for Germany, for instance,

03:03the DBV last week said that Mercosur is not a good agreement. In Italy, Coldiretti and

03:10Confagricoltura, the umbrella association of the EU farm trade unions, let's say the COPA and COGICA,

03:19are in line with what French farmers say. But at the same time, also some agricultural ministers

03:31are talking about the risk of this agreement. I can mention last week, Sekerski from Poland said

03:42that he will start a discussion within his government because he's scared about that.

03:51But also on Monday, we had the Spanish and the Portuguese and the Swedish farm ministers saying

03:58that they look forward to having the agreement because for them, it's an important one.

04:06Forgive me for cutting across you. There is some division clearly then

04:09within the European Union about whether or not this is a good idea. At a policy level,

04:16at the European level, France actually has sided with its farmers and said it doesn't want this.

04:22But there are governments that are actively for the Mercosur agreement. Indeed, we expected it

04:27to be signed this week, potentially at the G20. How much influence do you think France has now

04:34to try and shift some of the language in this deal? Or do you think it's going to be signed

04:40nonetheless? Let's be clear. The agricultural part

04:45is done. There is no way to reopen the negotiation. At least this is what all the sources involved

04:54say on the agricultural part, on the quotas, on the concession, let's say, that the European Union

05:01will give. What's under discussion? What is under discussion now? It's a sustainability

05:09chapter to add to the agreement. And let's say European farmers ask for the so-called reciprocity

05:18of standard production standards in terms of environmental and labor standards.

05:28And this is the hope, let's say. This declaration that has been negotiated in the last

05:39year, let's say, we have some of those guarantees for the European farmers.

05:45This said, tomorrow we will have maybe a clearer picture, because there is a

05:54council meeting between the trade ministers. And those are the ones that can really speak

06:05for their governments. So, for instance, it has to be seen like countries like the Netherlands,

06:16that are usually pro-trade, it has to be seen what stance they will take now that

06:21they have a farmers party in the ruling coalition. Go ahead, finish your thought,

06:30but unfortunately we're running a little out of time.

06:32No, sorry. Sorry for that. No, it's just to say that it's unclear if France can have the leverage

06:42to have this coalition against this blocking minority. It's also a practice for the EU

06:49and also for the other countries. Maybe it's not that easy to go ahead with an agreement without

06:57the support of the most important agricultural economy in Europe, that is France. So, tomorrow

07:04will be an interesting day. Okay. Tomorrow, a key day, something we should have our eye on for those

07:09that are watching this story closely. And we'll have to leave it there. But thanks very much,

07:12Angelo Di Mambro, talking to us. Good to speak to you. Thank you.

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