European farmers are worried they would face massive imports of ethanol, sugar, rise and other products from South America if an EU-Mercosur deal is reached in the coming months.

EU trade chief Cecilia Malmström hinted recently that a deal is quite possible.

“Trade concessions must be minimised for our more sensitive sectors, namely beef, sugar, poultry, ethanol, rice and orange juice,” Pekka Pesonen Secretary General of EU farming body COPA-COGECA, said.

The organisation warned that in countries like Brazil, one of the four founding members of Mercosur, environmental, sanitary and phytosanitary standards are much less stringent than in Europe, giving it an unfair competitive advantage. Brazil is currently the world’s largest producer of ethanol.

COPA-COGECA urged the newly elected Members of the European Parliament to raise their voice as soon as possible and support European farmers.

Mercosur now includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.

 

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