Forty-four French farmers’ organisations have jointly signed an open letter calling on President Emmanuel Macron to take a firm stand against the proposed EU-Mercosur trade agreement, warning that the deal poses serious risks to France’s agricultural sector and environmental standards.
The signatories — which include the Confédération Paysanne, CGT (General Confederation of Labour), Greenpeace, and France Nature Environnement (FNE) — expressed concern that Macron may be softening his stance and “abandoning France’s red lines” on the issue.
The EU-Mercosur trade deal, linking the European Union with Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay, aims to establish one of the world’s largest free trade zones, encompassing nearly 700 million people and 25% of global GDP. Its goal is to eliminate tariffs and ease trade barriers across the regions.
Mounting Concerns Over French Agriculture
France has been one of the strongest opponents of the agreement, arguing that an influx of cheaper agricultural products from Latin America could severely undermine European farmers.
In February 2025, President Macron described the proposal as a “bad text” during the Paris Agricultural Show, pledging to form a blocking minority within the EU to stop its implementation.
However, the European Commission moved forward in September, formally endorsing the agreement and proposing “reinforced safeguard clauses” to protect vulnerable sectors in case of a sudden rise in imports or falling prices. The measures cover sensitive goods such as beef, poultry, rice, honey, eggs, garlic, and sugar — but French agricultural unions remain unconvinced.
Farmers Fear a Policy Shift
Following a European summit in Brussels, Macron stated that France’s final position on the agreement was still under review but insisted that progress was being made “in the right direction.”
“The French government, like the others, is waiting for answers,” Macron said. “We are moving to protect the most exposed sectors and European consumers through stronger customs controls, support for livestock farming, and safeguard measures.”
Despite these assurances, the farmers’ open letter accuses the government of quietly preparing to approve the deal without full parliamentary consultation.
Thomas Gibert, spokesperson for the Confédération Paysanne, told AFP that his organisation left a recent meeting with Macron’s agricultural adviser “worried” about the president’s shifting position.
“We can sense that Emmanuel Macron is changing his mind,” Gibert said. “They’re trying to make us accept the deal by adding safeguard clauses, but that won’t stop imports from increasing.”
A Cevipof and Agro Toulouse survey conducted earlier this year found that nearly 80% of French farmers believe the EU-Mercosur agreement poses a direct threat to French agriculture.
EU Offers New Safeguards
To calm growing resistance, the European Commission has outlined new monitoring measures to protect EU producers. The plan includes:
- Biannual impact assessments on Mercosur imports;
- Probes triggered if import prices fall 10% below EU equivalents or volumes rise 10% above quotas;
- Investigations completed within four months, with tariffs reimposed if “serious injury” occurs.
“The Commission will be ready to act swiftly and decisively to protect the interests of our agri-food sector,” said EU Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen in a statement.
Source: modernghana
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