Dozens of farmers have driven through Brussels with their tractors, before parking them in front of the European Commission headquarters, to condemn the recently agreed EU-Mercosur free trade deal linking markets in South America and Europe.
Placards were tied on the tractors that read “Mercosur, the death of agriculture” or “Mercosur, consumers, farmers, climate, environment: all sure to be losers.”
Mercosur is a South American trade bloc comprised of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay with Venezuela currently sidelined and suspended.
The deal has faced criticism throughout Europe for potentially opening the door to a surge in meat exports, particularly from Brazil, that could accelerate deforestation in South America.
It could still, however, be some time before the agreement comes into effect as it must still be ratified by the European Parliament as well as both the members of Mercosur and the European Union.
PressTV / ABC Flash Point News 2019.
