foodwatch calls on European Leaders to stop Mercosur Trade Agreement
foodwatch urges European governments and the European Commission to reject the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, following the vote ‘against’ by the French Parliament last week. Despite huge civil society and farmers opposition, the deal could be finalized already at the Mercosur summit in Uruguay, on 5-6 December. The agreement threatens consumer protection, food safety, agricultural standards and democratic values in Europe, criticized the European consumer organization.
“European leaders must stop this ‘cars for cattle’ agreement – now! The deal would benefit only a handful of industries, while the vast majority of people in the EU and the Mercosur countries are against it. The European Parliament and the European Commission would be taking huge political risks to start their term of office with an issue that is so divisive in Europe”, said foodwatch International’s Executive Director Jörg Rohwedder. “European trade policy should safeguard public interests, not undermine them. The EU-Mercosur agreement fails this test and sets a dangerous precedent for future trade deals. Civil society organisations like foodwatch have been warning of the dangers of the EU-Mercosur agreement for years, calling on European leaders to denounce the deal. The aim is not to stop trade with Mercosur, which already exists, but to put a stop to this deleterious agreement.”
The EU-Mercosur deal would increase imports of agricultural products with reduced import taxes, including an additional 99,000 tonnes of beef annually, from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. These products are often produced using methods banned in the EU, such as growth-promoting antibiotics and pesticides harmful to health and ecosystems but their imports are still authorized in the EU. The agreement risks accelerating deforestation in the Amazon and Cerrado regions, where cattle farming and soy production are major drivers of biodiversity loss and climate change.
Further, indigenous communities in South America face intensified threats to their land and rights due to industrial farming expansion. Encouraging such practices through increased trade quotas contradicts the EU’s commitments to sustainable development and human rights.
By allowing imports of products that fail to meet EU food safety and environmental standards, the agreement undermines European regulations designed to protect public health and the environment. Despite these risks, negotiations have taken place behind closed doors, leaving European citizens, farmers, and civil society organizations excluded from the process.
In addition, a new food scandal arose early November when an audit by the European Commission revealed that the Brazilian authorities were unable to guarantee that imported meat to the EU was not treated with a completely forbidden growth hormone, the Estradiol 17β. This hormone is still used in Brazilian cattle breeding but is totally banned from breeding and importing into Europe, as it is carcinogenic. “We have no way of knowing how much has undergone this treatment and therefore entered our markets fraudulently. How long has this meat been consumed on the European continent? Where: restaurants, ready-made meals, canteens? This scandal shows additional risks that compel the EU authorities to reject totally the EU-Mercosur trade deal”, said foodwatch’s Jörg Rohwedder.
The EU-Mercosur agreement exemplifies the need for a comprehensive overhaul of European trade policy. foodwatch International calls on the European Commission and member states to prioritize agreements that uphold environmental protection, public health, and democratic principles.
More than 150,000 citizens have already signed a foodwatch-petition against the EU-Mercosur deal. Together with 400 organizations foodwatch has signed a declaration that demands to stop the trade agreement.