Thousands of farmers will block Strasbourg. They want to achieve one thing with their protest
The date of the EP vote on ratification of the EU agreement with Mercosur countries is not yet known. However, on Wednesday in Strasbourg, MEPs are to vote on a motion to refer the agreement to the Court of Justice of the EU in Luxembourg. The court would check whether the agreement contested by farmers is consistent with EU treaties.
If this proposal is supported, the ratification vote in the EP will likely be delayed by several months.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, counts on the support of the European Parliament. Previously, the EC informed that, in accordance with the EU treaties, the consent of the European Parliament is not required for the entry into force of the interim agreement. At the same time, the EC did not explain what it would do if the vote in the European Parliament were to be delayed by several months.
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Farmers who are against the treaty do not want to wait for the final vote and have decided to protest during the first plenary session of 2026 in Strasbourg.
The agreement with South American countries provides for trade liberalization, among others. agricultural products. Protesters fear this will threaten their incomes and production standards and that it will lead to an influx of cheaper goods that do not meet EU standards.
On the streets, with a population of less than 300,000 inhabitants of the French city, approximately one thousand tractors are to be built near the European Parliament. The EP authorities estimate that approximately 5,000 people will take part in the demonstration, mainly from France, but also from Poland, Belgium and Romania.
The largest French farmers' union, La FNSEA (National Federation of Agricultural Unions), which is the main organizer of the protest, announced on the X platform that the demonstration aims to “challenge MEPs.”
The European farmers' organization COPA-COGECA announced that farmers from 15 member states have decided to join the La FNSEA protest.
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Farmers are preparing for demonstrations over the EU-Mercosur deal
The European Parliament authorities have been preparing for the demonstration for several days now. The Parliament premises will be cordoned off by police from Tuesday, and access to it will be subject to additional security checks. The EP management also recommends MEPs, administration staff and journalists to arrive at the European Parliament building earlier, before the demonstration begins.
The European Commission signed a trade agreement with Mercosur on Saturday in Asuncion. The agreement will facilitate the flow of industrial and agricultural products between the EU and the South American bloc.
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What does the agreement with Mercosur countries cover?
During her speech before signing the agreement, the head of the European Commission said that thanks to the agreement, it was possible to create the largest free trade zone in the world and a market worth almost 20 percent. world GDP. — The EU is already one of Mercosur's main trade and investment partners. This agreement opens the next stage of these relations, she said on Saturday.
Von der Leyen added that she wanted to assure the EU's 450 million inhabitants that this agreement is “good for Europe, for every member state.” She emphasized that it means, among other things, more business opportunities, abolition of tariffs worth billions of euros, opening of public procurement markets. She also noted that the EC listened to the concerns of EU farmers and took action.
At the beginning of January this year, the majority of member states agreed to sign the agreement; against were Poland, France, Austria, Ireland and Hungary.
The farmers plan to remain outside the European Parliament in Strasbourg until Wednesday, when MEPs will decide whether to refer the case to the CJEU.
