Mercosur Trade Deal: Opportunities and Safeguards Needed
EU-Mercosur Trade Deal: Basque Official Calls for Safeguards to Protect European Agriculture
Basque Country, Spain – Amaia Barredo, Counselor for Food, Rural Progress, Agriculture, and Fisheries of the Basque Government, has voiced cautious optimism about the recently finalized EU-Mercosur trade agreement, highlighting both its potential benefits and the need for robust safeguards to protect European farmers.
While acknowledging the agreement’s potential to boost European agricultural exports, particularly in high-value sectors like wine, olive oil, and canned goods, Barredo emphasized the need for measures to mitigate potential negative impacts on European producers.
“The agreement has the potential to increase exports by 5-10% in certain emerging markets within Mercosur,” Barredo stated. “However, concerns remain among various stakeholders, particularly in the livestock, fruit and vegetable, and staple crop sectors like rice and sugar, who face unfair competition due to lower production costs and less stringent environmental regulations in Mercosur countries.”
Barredo highlighted the importance of ensuring regulatory fairness and sustainability as key challenges. She expressed concerns raised by experts regarding the potential impact on European food sovereignty and biodiversity, citing the potential for increased use of agrochemicals and deforestation linked to agricultural expansion in Mercosur.
“The pressure on domestic prices could destabilize family farms, particularly in regions like the Basque Country, where small farms are at a higher risk of being excluded from the market,” Barredo warned.
To ensure the agreement’s success,Barredo called for clear compensatory measures,including safeguard clauses,strengthened border controls,and promotion of products with protected designations of origin.
“Only through these measures can we guarantee that the benefits of the agreement do not come at the expense of the competitiveness and sustainability of the european agricultural model,” she concluded.
Basque Official Calls for Safeguards in EU-Mercosur trade Deal
Basque Country, Spain – Amaia Barredo, Counselor for Food, Rural Progress, Agriculture, adn Fisheries of the Basque Government, expressed cautious optimism regarding the finalized EU-Mercosur trade agreement. While acknowledging its potential to bolster European agricultural exports – particularly in sectors like wine, olive oil, and canned goods – she stressed the necessity of robust safeguards to shield European farmers from potential harm.
“The agreement has the potential to increase exports by 5-10% in certain emerging markets within Mercosur,” Barredo stated. However, she highlighted concerns among stakeholders, particularly in the livestock, fruit and vegetable, and staple crop sectors, regarding unfair competition due to lower production costs and less stringent environmental regulations in Mercosur countries.
Barredo emphasized the importance of ensuring regulatory fairness and sustainability, citing expert concerns about potential impacts on European food sovereignty and biodiversity. She expressed apprehension over increased agrochemical use and deforestation linked to agricultural expansion in Mercosur.
“The pressure on domestic prices could destabilize family farms, particularly in regions like the Basque country, where small farms are at a higher risk of being excluded from the market,” Barredo warned.
To ensure the agreement’s success, Barredo advocated for clear compensatory measures, including safeguard clauses, strengthened border controls, and promotion of products with protected designations of origin.
“Onyl thru thes measures can we guarantee that the benefits of the agreement do not come at the expense of the competitiveness and sustainability of the European agricultural model,” she concluded.