The Australian and Moroccan agreements pose a serious threat to EU agriculture

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The European – and thus Hungarian – agriculture may once again pay the price for the trade agreements/political bargains concluded/to be concluded by the European Union – and which often do not meet the requirements of transparency. European farmers are already under extreme pressure: rising production costs, falling profitability and increasing market uncertainty characterize the sector. However, despite these circumstances, the European Commission is planning to conclude a new series of trade deals that will adversely affect European agriculture. In addition to the recently concluded Mercosur agreement, which has been forced through the EU decision-making process, an agreement between the EU and Australia and an agreement between the EU and Morocco is also taking shape. The implementation of both agreements would have a significant impact on the future of European agricultural production.

The planned EU-Australia agreement envisages a significant expansion of market access for sensitive products, in particular beef, sheepmeat and sugar

Australia is a major player in the global agricultural market: it is among the world’s top three exporters of wheat and beef, while it accounts for around two-thirds of global exports of lamb. Further market opening against such a competitor is not simply a challenge for European producers, but a direct existential threat. It is particularly worrying that these concessions, like the Mercosur agreement, are not accompanied by the requirement of EU production conditions.

The situation is similar with the agreement being formed between the EU and Morocco

Recently, MEPs have also expressed serious criticism of the agreement, in particular regarding its transparency, legality and impact on agricultural markets. The influx of Moroccan imports could trigger a chain reaction in the entire agricultural sector. It seems that the European Commission is once again supporting an unbalanced and insufficiently transparent agreement, while not providing adequate protection for local farmers. Moreover, Brussels and the Council are deciding on important issues by bypassing the European Parliament, and even basic information – such as the development of import volumes – is not shared with the public. This not only indicates a democratic deficit, but also suggests that the interests of European producers are being pushed to the background in decision-making. Similar to Mercosur countries or Ukraine, both Australia and Morocco have much looser rules on animal welfare or hormone use than EU standards, which poses serious risks for consumers. The National Chamber of Agriculture and the Association of Hungarian Farmers’ Circles and Cooperatives – in line with the opinion of Copa Cogeca, the European farmers’ association – firmly reject these trade agreements. The two organisations firmly believe that agriculture cannot be a subject of negotiation! Without protecting sensitive products, the EU market cannot be opened to products from third countries. Only a truly balanced, reciprocal and equal-standards agreement can be accepted! This is not just an economic issue. European food security, the future of rural communities and the strategic importance of the agricultural sector are at stake. Ill-considered agreements can easily cause irreversible damage!

NAK