The EU-Mercosur trade agreement would ruin farmers, Ukraine is also making the situation even more difficult

(Photo: drnagyistvan.hu)

The Minister reminded that if the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement were adopted, a significant part of the customs duties between the European Union and the countries of the South American Common Market would be abolished, and a new market of around 800 million people would be created. In its current form, the agreement would have a number of negative effects on the European Union’s agriculture, including Hungary. According to the draft, agricultural products of questionable quality that do not meet European production standards, such as poultry and beef, as well as sugar and honey, would arrive in the EU in unmanageable quantities. The combined effect of Brussels’ opening of the market to Ukrainian agricultural products and the EU-Mercosur agreement would further destabilize European agriculture, destroy farmers’ livelihoods and endanger food security. Our country continues to stand by the principle that the so-called mirror clause should be applied in relations between the EU and third countries. According to this, products flowing into Europe should also comply with EU production and traceability rules, failing which domestic and EU agricultural production would be significantly damaged, the minister stressed. He explained that Hungary has begun to search for allies among EU member states who also have a similar position to our country. Fortunately, we are not alone: Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, Romania and Italy are also protesting against the agreement. The Minister of Agriculture recalled that he had already consulted with the French Minister in the spring, and they agreed that the agreement in its current form poses a serious threat to European farmers, and thus to Europe’s food self-sufficiency. István Nagy emphasized that we do not support the conclusion of the agreement in its current form, as it does not provide adequate protection for EU and Hungarian producers against agricultural imports from Mercosur and Ukraine.

AM