Farmer unions in France have announced the possibility of launching new protests following the weeks-long demonstrations earlier this year that concluded after negotiations with the government. According to reports in the national media, leading farmer unions in the country expressed their opposition to ongoing negotiations for the signing of a trade agreement that they claim will put French farmers at a disadvantage with the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) composed of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The largest farmer unions in France, FNESEA and Young Farmers (JA), have decided to implement “an action plan starting in mid-November.” The unions signaled that a new protest could be initiated based on the trade agreement negotiations and the steps taken by the French government regarding the issue. President of the Young Farmers Union Pierrick Horel stated during a press conference on the matter that organizing nationwide could put pressure on the government to meet farmers’ demands. Farmers are calling for the implementation of agricultural support measures promised by the government in the past to end previous protests and are opposing the signing of a trade agreement between the EU and MERCOSUR. Earlier this year, the road-blocking protests by farmers in France ended after the government took some steps in the agricultural sector. Among the promises made by the government to end the protests was the suspension of the planned free trade agreement between the EU and MERCOSUR. The French government stated that accepting this agreement would lead to unfair competition for farmers and emphasized the need for the “struggle for farmers’ rights to be carried out on a European scale.”

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE AGREEMENT PROCESS
Negotiations for the signing of a free trade agreement between the EU and MERCOSUR are ongoing. The negotiations began in 2000, with the parties announcing a compromise in 2019 after a negotiation process lasting 20 years. However, due to the completion of the signing and approval process, the agreement has not taken effect. The agreement involves the elimination of a significant portion of the customs duties applied to trade in goods between the EU and MERCOSUR, as well as the reduction of the customs duty rates applied by MERCOSUR to automotive, machinery, chemical, and medical products from EU countries. When the agreement comes into force, the EU and MERCOSUR will reduce high customs duty rates on various agricultural products, allowing MERCOSUR countries to more easily sell products such as meat, poultry, and sugar to the EU.