Subject: [DKIM katki]Joint Statement: United Call by EU Farmers' and Agricultural Workers' Organisations to Oppose the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement
From: "European Coordination Via Campesina" <[email-masked]>
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Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2025 11:43:19 +0300

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Dear  EU Ministers of Agriculture and Trade,

Please find below and attached a joint statement on behalf of CEJA, 
Copa-Cogeca,  European Coordination Via Campesina and EFFAT,  who 
collectively represent diverse farmers and agricultural workers across 
Europe and come together to reject the EU-Mercosur FTA.This proposed Free 
Trade Agreement would cause irreversible harm to vulnerable sectors within 
European agriculture and seriously undermine the principles of food 
sovereignty. It disregards the calls of farmers and agricultural workers to 
ensure fair competition and a decent income.

Yours sincerely,

CEJA - European council of young farmers

COPA-COGECA - Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations & the 
General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives

ECVC – European Coordination Via Campesina

EFFAT - European Federation of Food, Agriculture, and Tourism Trade Unions

Subject: United Call by EU Farmers' and Agricultural Workers' Organisations 
to Oppose the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement

                                                                             
        2 July 2025, Brussels

Dear EU Ministers of Agriculture and Trade,

Dear Members of the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade,

We, the undersigned organisations representing the diverse interests of 
European farmers and agricultural workers – COPA-COGECA, CEJA, ECVC and 
EFFAT – urge you to firmly oppose the conclusion of the EU-Mercosur trade 
agreement in its current form.

This proposed Free Trade Agreement would cause irreversible harm to 
vulnerable sectors within European agriculture and seriously undermine the 
principles of food sovereignty. It disregards the calls of farmers and 
agricultural workers to ensure fair competition and a decent income.

Restricting imports in sensitive sectors (such as beef, poultry, and sugar) 
through quotas is not an adequate safeguard. The European Commission’s own 
impact assessment on the cumulative effects of trade agreements confirms 
that price reductions are expected in many of these sectors. While some may 
view such reductions as “limited,” they would, in practice, compound already 
unsustainable market conditions where farmgate prices are insufficient to 
sustain livelihoods.

In the current global context of economic and geopolitical instability, 
entering into an unbalanced trade agreement would only deepen the EU’s 
external dependency in the strategically vital agricultural sector. 
Agriculture is not only a cornerstone of our rural economies, but a key 
pillar of Europe’s food and economic security.

We strongly object to the instrumentalisation of agriculture as a bargaining 
chip to secure advantages for other sectors. Instead, we advocate for a 
renewed trade approach based on the principles of economic, social, and 
environmental sustainability, reciprocal standards, accountability and 
enforceability of the commitments under the Trade and Sustainability chapter 
including the eight fundamental ILO conventions and a just transition – as 
highlighted in the findings of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of 
Agriculture. It is also essential to ensure coherence between the European 
Union’s internal objectives and its external trade commitments.

We reiterate that the goal of generational renewal in farming, a key 
priority for the sector, cannot be achieved if our trade policy facilitates 
social dumping and entrenches unfair competition.

The widespread farmer protests across the EU in early 2024 sent a clear and 
unambiguous message: end the negotiations on the EU-Mercosur agreement. In 
response, the European Commission temporarily paused discussions. During 
this period, political representatives from across the spectrum expressed 
solidarity with the concerns raised by farmers. However, the subsequent 
resumption and acceleration of negotiations following the European elections 
signals a troubling disregard for the widespread public and sectoral 
opposition in many Member States.

The time has come for clarity and action. As the main organisations 
representing all facets of the EU agricultural sector, including farmers and 
workers alike, we call on Member States and Members of the European 
Parliament to oppose the ratification of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement.

Yours sincerely,

CEJA - European council of young farmers

COPA-COGECA - Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations & the 
General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives

ECVC – European Coordination Via Campesina

EFFAT - European Federation of Food, Agriculture, and Tourism Trade Unions

-END-

For further information, please contact

Marion Picot – Secretary General CEJA +32 495512474 [email-masked] 
<mailto:[email-masked]>

Ksenija Simovic - Senior Policy Advisor COPA-COGECA +32 473 66 30 71 
[email-masked] <mailto:[email-masked]>

Alisha Sesum - Communication officer +32  465033385  [email-masked] 
<mailto:[email-masked]>

Ivan Ivanov - Political Secretary Agriculture Sector EFFAT Tel: +32 492 
588664 [email-masked] <mailto:[email-masked]>

-- 

European Coordination Via Campesina

Rue Grisar 38
1070 Brussels, BELGIUM
Tel. (BE) +32 22173112

 <http://www.eurovia.org/> www.eurovia.org
 <mailto:[email-masked]> [email-masked]