A divisive agreement threatens to create the world's largest free trade zone and exposes a deep fracture: the clash between Europe's global ambitions and the growing discontent of its agricultural sector. Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi is awaiting the signing of the Mercosur-EU agreement. Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi acknowledged that the Mercado Común del Sur (Mercosur) is considering the possibility of postponing the signing of the agreement with the European Union (EU), scheduled for this weekend in Brazil. The president expressed his anticipation for the decision to be made and stated: 'We do not yet have any official communication. These are negotiations that are taking place now in Europe.' Orsi confirmed that 'there are some movements that would be hindering' the signing, in reference to France's request to postpone the signing of the agreement with the South American bloc, so he admitted that 'it is a possibility' the extension of the pact's signing. The South American bloc (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay) and the EU announced in December last year the closure of the text of the bilateral trade agreement after 25 years of negotiations, which must now be ratified by both parties. Finally, the signing was scheduled for next Saturday within the framework of the Mercosur Summit of Heads of State, to be held in the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguaçu, according to the Xinhua news agency. Hundreds of tractors took over the center of Brussels this Thursday and turned the front of the European Parliament into a stage of protest, international media reported. Farmers from different EU countries took to the streets to reject the trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, just as the bloc's leaders were meeting to discuss agricultural policy and foreign trade. During the demonstration, smoke bombs exploded, and farmers attacked police officers by throwing potatoes, but they were met with water cannons and tear gas, as Noticias Argentinas was able to confirm. According to the agricultural lobby Copa-Cogeca, around 10,000 people participated in the mobilization, and more than 150 tractors blocked key streets in the Belgian capital, according to information from Newsweek Argentina. The core of the complaint The core of the complaint is clear: European producers fear that the pact with Mercosur will enable unfair competition with cheaper South American foods with lower environmental and sanitary requirements. Beef, sugar, rice, honey, and soy appear as the most sensitive products, especially for farmers from France, Belgium, and Italy, who denounce years of crisis and lack of responses from Brussels. While Ursula von der Leyen insists that the agreement is strategic for the EU—and she still hopes to move forward with the signing—countries such as Italy, Hungary, France, and Poland have hardened their rejection and demanded stricter safeguards.
