United call by EU farmers’ and agricultural workers’ organisations to oppose the EU-Mercosur trade agreement
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European Coordination Via Campesina | 2 July 2025
United call by EU farmers’ and agricultural workers’ organisations to oppose the EU-Mercosur trade agreement
Dear EU Ministers of Agriculture and Trade, Dear Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade,
We, the undersigned organisations representing the diverse interests of European farmers and agricultural workers – COPA-COGECA, CEJA, ECVC and EFFAT – urge you to firmly oppose the conclusion of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement in its current form.
This proposed Free Trade Agreement would cause irreversible harm to vulnerable sectors within European agriculture and seriously undermine the principles of food sovereignty. It disregards the calls of farmers and agricultural workers to ensure fair competition and a decent income.
Restricting imports in sensitive sectors (such as beef, poultry, and sugar) through quotas is not an adequate safeguard. The European Commission’s own impact assessment on the cumulative effects of trade agreements confirms that price reductions are expected in many of these sectors. While some may view such reductions as “limited,” they would, in practice, compound already unsustainable market conditions where farmgate prices are insufficient to sustain livelihoods.
In the current global context of economic and geopolitical instability, entering into an unbalanced trade agreement would only deepen the EU’s external dependency in the strategically vital agricultural sector. Agriculture is not only a cornerstone of our rural economies, but a key pillar of Europe’s food and economic security.
We strongly object to the instrumentalisation of agriculture as a bargaining chip to secure advantages for other sectors. Instead, we advocate for a renewed trade approach based on the principles of economic, social, and environmental sustainability, reciprocal standards, accountability and enforceability of the commitments under the Trade and Sustainability chapter including the eight fundamental ILO conventions and a just transition – as highlighted in the findings of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture. It is also essential to ensure coherence between the European Union’s internal objectives and its external trade commitments.
We reiterate that the goal of generational renewal in farming, a key priority for the sector, cannot be achieved if our trade policy facilitates social dumping and entrenches unfair competition.
The widespread farmer protests across the EU in early 2024 sent a clear and unambiguous message: end the negotiations on the EU-Mercosur agreement. In response, the European Commission temporarily paused discussions. During this period, political representatives from across the spectrum expressed solidarity with the concerns raised by farmers. However, the subsequent resumption and acceleration of negotiations following the European elections signals a troubling disregard for the widespread public and sectoral opposition in many Member States.
The time has come for clarity and action. As the main organisations representing all facets of the EU agricultural sector, including farmers and workers alike, we call on Member States and Members of the European Parliament to oppose the ratification of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement.
Yours sincerely,
CEJA - European council of young farmers
COPA-COGECA - Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations & the General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives
ECVC – European Coordination Via Campesina
EFFAT - European Federation of Food, Agriculture, and Tourism Trade Unions
