The European Union and the South American trade bloc Mercosur concluded a trade agreement unfavorable to European farmers. It will create a free trade area covering more than 700 million consumers.
The finalization of the trade deal was accompanied by farmers’ protests across Europe, including Polish farmers. They fear the EU market will be flooded with cheaper food from Mercosur, especially meat. European farmers consider it unfair, among other things, that on the one hand the EU imposes extremely strict standards on its own producers, while on the other it opens up to imports from countries that do not have to comply with such restrictions.
Concerns about opening the EU market to agricultural products from South America led to opposition from some European countries. Poland, France, Austria, Ireland, and Hungary voted against the agreement.
The doubts were not dispelled by the strengthened safeguard clause to the agreement proposed by the European Commission.