The Farmers' Club asks President Dan to reject the trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur: “It risks endangering food security”
Wheat farmer. Credit line: Svetlana Orlova / Panthermedia / Profimedia
The Romanian Farmers' Club warns, Friday evening, that the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, in its current form, risks seriously affecting Romanian agriculture. The organization asked the Presidential Administration to reject the agreement, considering that it can generate significant risks for the competitiveness of Romanian agriculture, the sustainability of local farms and national food security, informs News.ro.
The Romanian Farmers' Club transmitted, on Friday evening, the position regarding the EU-Mercosur trade agreement (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), warning that it risks seriously affecting Romanian agriculture, “by accentuating trade imbalances and increasing pressure on prices for sensitive sectors such as poultry, beef and pork, dairy products, fodder, sunflower oil, sugar and other strategic products”.
“A major structural imbalance”
“In the context in which the agri-food commercial relations between Romania and the Mercosur states are already marked by a major structural imbalance, with massive imports of agri-food products and raw materials that directly compete with domestic production, the additional liberalization of exchanges risks undermining the economic sustainability of Romanian farms and endangering food security and safety. The significant differences in production standards and costs, including the use in the Mercosur states of some pesticides banned in the European Union and a sanitary-veterinary and phytosanitary control system considered deficient amplifies these risks”, the organization said in a press release.
Warning from Berlin: Without the EU-Mercosur trade deal, blocked by several states, Germany will not be able to pay more to the EU budget
According to the cited document, for over two years, the Romanian Farmers' Club has been consistently warning the competent authorities at the national and European level about the dangers that the EU-Mercosur agreement represents for Romanian agriculture and is exerting institutional pressure so that these risks are assumed and properly managed by the decision-makers in charge of these institutions.
“The Romanian Farmers' Club calls for the rejection of the EU-Mercosur agreement in its current form and asks the state institutions to promote an approach that protects the competitiveness of domestic producers and the national agri-food production capacity, including through solid compensation mechanisms and funds dedicated to vulnerable sectors. The EU-Mercosur agreement cannot be accepted as long as it puts Romanian farmers at a clear disadvantage compared to their competitors from outside the Union,” said Florian Ciolacu, the Club's executive director Romanian farmers.
Protests in Europe
President Nicusor Dan stated, on Friday morning, that Romania supports the draft free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur, the reservations held in the past being exceeded after discussions with the farmers. The head of state considers that opening up to such a large market as South America is useful for Romania.
Italy joins France and rejects the immediate signing of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement / What the agreement contains and why it is criticized by farmers in several countries, including Romania
Thousands of farmers protested in Brussels against the European agricultural policy (CAP), against the reductions provided in the CAP budget and against the draft free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur, as well as against the tax on carbon emissions.
Since sunrise, hundreds of tractors have been heading towards the capital, causing significant delays and blockages on the main access routes, traffic being completely interrupted in some places. The situation became tense during the morning in certain areas and escalated during the afternoon, especially near the Luxembourg square, where the Police used water cannons and tear gas, after various objects were thrown and fires were lit in several places.
According to an official balance sheet of the Brussels Police, reported by the press, 7,300 farmers participated in the demonstration against the agreement treaty between the EU and the Mercosur countries on Thursday, of which 4,000 were French, according to the FNSEA trade union. About 950 tractors were counted.
Franceinfo stated, however, that the agricultural unions are talking about 11,000 demonstrators.
Copa-Cogeca, the main European agricultural union, expected at least 10,000 participants from several countries, especially France.
