European farmers protest against planned Mercosur trade deal

EU farmers concerned about the possibility of cheap agricultural imports flooding the bloc protested against a planned trade deal with four South American countries on Thursday, reported dpa.

German farmers demonstrated against the EU-Mercosur trade deal at motorway junctions across the country, while some 20 tractors blocked access roads in Paris on Thursday morning, causing traffic disruptions.

The protesters managed to drive their tractors to the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the National Assembly.

More farmers protested with their heavy vehicles outside the city and temporarily blocked a motorway leading to the city centre.

Farmers then blocked two motorway border crossings between France and Belgium in the evening.

About 100 farmers blocked the border on the motorway running from Paris towards Brussels with their tractors, the newspaper La Voix du Nord reported.

According to the report, the motorway leading from Lille towards Tournai was also blocked.

The controversial trade deal with Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay, which has been in the making for over 25 years, was set to be signed in December, but that was pushed back amid severe farmer protests in France.

An EU vote on the signing of the agreement is scheduled for Friday, after the European Commission recently proposed concessions to appease Paris.

On Wednesday evening, the commission suggested a temporary suspension of customs duties on certain fertilizers such as ammonia and urea.

Several countries including Germany and Spain are in favour of the deal. If Italy also votes in favour, the agreement could be adopted without France's support.

Italian Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida expressed confidence regarding the negotiations. "We're in the final stretch," he told Italian business newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore. However, he added that clarification was still needed on safeguards for agricultural products.

If Mercosur imports flood the EU market or cause a fall in prices for EU producers, the safeguards are to enable the implementation of quick countermeasures.

Currently the agreement foresees a threshold of 8% for a review to be triggered, but Lollobrigida said Rome wants the limit to be lowered to 5%.

According to the commission, the new free trade area between the EU and Mercosur states with more than 700 million people would be the largest of its kind in the world.