An agreement on a free trade agreement between the EU and the MERCOSUR states is to be announced at today’s MERCOSUR summit in Uruguay. However, the Lower Austrian Farmers’ Association is clearly sticking to its negative stance and is ready to fight. “This agreement represents a massive threat to domestic agriculture. We need fair standards for everyone – including imports. It endangers security of supply and rural existence as a whole. Small-scale family farms should come under fire for the South American agricultural industry, certainly not with us! We will continue to fight against this harmful agreement, which damages the environment and destroys self-sufficiency,” emphasizes Lower Austrian Chamber of Agriculture President and Farmers’ Association member in the National Council Johannes Schmuckenschlager.
Unequal competition threatens agriculture
The MERCOSUR agreement could flood the EU with cheap imports, including sugar and beef, that do not meet European standards on animal welfare and environmental protection. “We cannot accept that domestic companies suffer from unfair competition while industry in MERCOSUR countries puts additional strain on the environment and burns down the rainforest,” warns Schmuckenschlager.
Austria is obliged to say no by a resolution in the National Council. Together with other strong opponents such as France, Ireland and Poland, farmers’ association mandates and government members continue to work to find allies in the fight against the MERCOSUR agreement at the international level.
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