French farmers have blocked roads leading to Paris in protest, prompting France to vote against a free trade agreement that the European Union had planned to conclude with South American countries, Reuters writes.
Fearing that the agreement with the so-called Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) will flood Europe with cheap food imports, French right-wing farmers have called for protests in Paris.
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France, despite promises made by the European Commission to protect local farmers, will vote against a free trade agreement with South America on the 9th of January. However, Macron added that the agreement is not the end of the story, and he will continue to fight for the implementation of the EC’s promises.
Ireland will also vote against the agreement with Mercosur. However, with the EC having secured Italy’s support, the deal is likely to go through. The free trade agreement with South America, which is backed by Germany and Spain, has become a political hot potato for the French government. Local elections are due in France in March, and polls show the right-wing forces gaining ground.
French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard stressed on the 8th of January that
even if the EU does conclude the deal, France will continue to oppose it in the European Parliament.
The agreement also needs the EP’s approval for it to come into force.
The EC this week proposed making 45 billion euros in financing available to the bloc’s farmers over the next seven years and agreed to reduce import duties on certain types of fertiliser, hoping to win support from countries that have been sceptical about the free trade deal with South America.
In addition to a potential deal with Mercosur, farmers have also been protesting high costs and excessive local regulations. These include the government’s requirement to cull herds of cows after they are found to have lumpy skin disease, a highly contagious skin disease in cattle. Stephane Pelletier, a member of the right-wing farmers’ union, told Reuters from near the Eiffel Tower that the farmers’ feelings ranged from resentment to despair.
To enter Paris, the farmers forced their way past police checkpoints and gathered outside the French parliament before dawn. Dozens of tractors blocked major highways during the morning rush hour, causing traffic jams for 150 kilometers.
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