Farmers are demonstrating against the contentious trade agreement between the European Union and South American nations, which they claim will destroy their livelihoods by encroaching on the streets of Brussels.
As EU leaders convened for a summit where the fate of the Mercosur deal was in doubt, the demonstrations erupted on Thursday. More than 150 tractors slammed central Brussels, and according to farm lobby Copa-Cogeca, 10,000 protesters are expected in the European quarter.
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At the EU summit, there was a double-waffle of frenzied activity, with leaders perhaps more focused on a vote to decide whether to use nearly $200 billion in frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine over the coming two years.
Farmers pelted potatoes and eggs at police outside the gilded halls, started fireworks and firecrackers, and stopped traffic.
Authorities placed roadblocks and water cannons in the city, and then closed all of the tunnels and tear gas. Why import sugar from the other side of the world when we can get the best here? – a tractor proclaimed.
Belgian dairy farmer Maxime Mabille alleged European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen of trying to “force the deal through” by saying “Europe has become a dictatorship” and that “we’re here to say no to Mercosur.”
Protesters fear that producers in Europe would be undercutted by an influx of less expensive agricultural products from Brazil and neighboring nations. Their concerns center on South American competitors, who have less stringent regulations for beef, sugar, rice, honey, and soya beans, particularly those involving pesticides that are EU-banned.
According to Belgian farm union FJA’s Florian Poncelet, “We’ve been protesting since 2024 in France, Belgium, and elsewhere.” We want to be heard, in the end.
President Emmanuel Macron has stated that “we are not ready” and that the agreement “cannot be signed” in its current form, leading France and Italy.
To thwart a postponement, France and France have worked together to oust Poland, Belgium, Austria, and Ireland, giving critics enough votes to potentially stymie the agreement.
Germany and Spain are, however, making a strong push for approval. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that “the decision must be made right away” if the EU wants to “main credible in global trade policy,” and Pedro Sanchez, the country’s prime minister, argued that the agreement would give Europe “geo-economic and geopolitical weight” in the face of adversaries.
The agreement, which has been in development for 25 years, would establish the largest free-trade area in the world, with a population of 780 million and a share of GDP.
In light of rising US tariffs, supporters claim that it provides a counterweight to China and would encourage European exports of goods and services.
Opposition has grown stronger despite the provisional safeguards being negotiated on Wednesday to cap sensitive imports. At least two-thirds of the EU’s members need support to travel to Brazil this weekend to sign the deal, but Van der Leyen is determined to do so.
