CEO of Carrefour in France says the company will no longer buy meat from Mercosur

They argue that the text being discussed opens up unfair competition for Brazilian and Argentine meat on the French market. This is because the social and environmental standards required by the bloc for agricultural production would not apply to commercial partners, allowing the entry of cheaper food.

The postponement of the implementation of the European Anti-Deforestation Law also reignited indignation against the agreement, which was discussed again at the G20 summit, hosted this week by Brazil.

Between Monday and Wednesday, protesters opened tanks of Spanish wine in the streets, closed the entrances to public buildings with tires and garbage and even blocked the border between France and Spain, a country that supports the trade agreement. The barricade only closed this Wednesday, after a demonstration of support by Prime Minister Michel Barnier.

In Agen, in southwestern France, the meeting point for similar protests that took place earlier this year, farmers sprayed slurry on an agricultural social security office.

No deal

The agreement between the EU and Mercosur has been discussed since 1999. In 2019 the text was finalized, but there was no ratification, despite the commitment of countries such as Germany and Spain.