NAK-MAGOSZ: provisional application of the Mercosur agreement unacceptable

The two organizations highlighted that the procedure launched at the European Court of Justice did not deter the European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen from provisional application of the Mercosur agreement. NAK and MAGOSZ agree with the position of the European farmers’ association, according to which this procedure should be rejected because it further destroys the trust between the European institutions and rural communities, makes it impossible for producers and exposes consumers to food safety risks. Actors in the European agriculture and food industry have been emphasizing for years that the trade agreement with South American countries could cause serious damage to the sector and also endanger food security. Producers have voiced this on several occasions, with farmers taking to the streets in Brussels at the end of last year and in Strasbourg at the beginning of this year, they recalled. The concerns of producers are not only related to the significant influx of imports, which would have fatal consequences in certain sensitive sectors such as beef, poultry and sugar, but also to the persistent threats in the areas of production standards, environmental requirements, animal welfare rules, the use of plant protection products and labour standards. The European Union has not yet received guarantees that would truly reassure producers and consumers. Even more worrying is that the latest inspection by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) revealed serious shortcomings in relation to Brazilian beef. While the use of growth-promoting hormones in livestock farming is prohibited in the EU, the report concluded that Brazil’s current control and monitoring system does not provide full assurance that these requirements are met. There is therefore a significant risk that the application of the Mercosur agreement could lead to a flood of hormone-treated Brazilian beef in Europe, the statement said. According to NAK and MAGOSZ, it is a serious offense that the Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen is forcing the provisional application of the agreement, ignoring the concerns of the agricultural sectors and the investigation of the European Court of Justice. This contradicts its previous promise not to implement an agreement without the full consent of the European Parliament. The two organizations stressed that the agricultural sector is already under significant economic pressure due to rising input costs, climate challenges and hectic market conditions. Such a procedure would leave a lasting political mark and could further erode trust between European institutions and rural communities, the statement said.

MTI