The Mercosur-EU agreement Is a Fact

French farmers are protesting in Strasbourg against the Mercosur agreement. On Saturday, January 17, the fateful agreement between the European Union and the six South American states that will have duty-free access to the European food market was signed in the Paraguayan capital of Asunción.

The French TV channel BFM TV has reported daily on the consequences for both French farmers and French consumers of foreign food on the French market. In Europe, very little is known about the upcoming consequences as the media’s black-out deliberately limits the level of information.

France fears that the previously known amount of imported beef of 25 percent, due to the Mercosur agreement, will increase to 50 percent. The situation will be even worse with fruit and vegetables. Within the European Union, there are 300 different substances that are absolutely prohibited from being used in fruit and vegetable cultivation (pesticides). None of these prohibitions apply in the Mercosur countries concerned.

In the BFM TV studio, a female journalist showed mangoes and avocados from South America where substances that are prohibited for European producers are demonstrably found.

In an article in the Swedish media, people were happy that cashew nuts were getting cheaper, but that’s precisely where they use banned substances to prevent mold.

German farmers are also protesting. Still image TRWM

French livestock farmers and grain producers are extremely proud of the French food tradition, which is based on raw materials of a very high quality. They are joined by Polish farmers, as Poland is Europe’s third largest agricultural country. German farmers also see the danger when uncontrolled food flows into the European market. More and more farms in Germany operate organic, i.e. more expensive, production methods of food products. Now they see a competitor who will beat their efforts to produce high-quality food. In South America, hormone preparations are used to stimulate the muscle mass of cattle and are banned among European farmers.

France, a country with proud farmers wearing yellow caps (a connection to the previously known Yellow Vests) will not give in. European Union President Ursula von den Leyen, born Albrecht, will be handing out hefty financial compensation to outraged farmers in France, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Belgium, Lithuania and more.

Of course, the Mercosur agreement is seen as an economic boost for the poor country in the middle of the South American continent, but for a country like Paraguay, without its own ports and access to its own coastline, transporting the country’s beef becomes a logistical ordeal.

Protesting French farmers in Strasbourg are demanding a legal review of the agreement, as several member states were against the agreement. The case is expected to continue in the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Domestically, there is also turbulence when discussing France’s upcoming budget, but the most important thing is the political groupings.

Jordan Bardella, from the Rassemblement National (RN), made a very promising impression during his meeting with the French media. Bardella made it clear that his goal is the post of prime minister in a future government. Marine Le Pen is the subject of a legal review due to alleged financial irregularities during her and her party’s time in the European Parliament. The case is now being heard by the Cour de Cassation (Supreme Court) in Paris. It can probably be assumed that her case is aimed at preventing her from continuing her political career.

During the meeting with the French media, Jordan Bardella was asked how he views President Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela. He referred very matter-of-factly to the Monroe Doctrine.

The Monroe Doctrine is a foreign policy program presented by US President James Monroe (1758–1831) to the US Congress in 1823. It was a reaction against Spain’s plans to reconquer colonies in South and Central America and to prevent other great powers from seizing them.