Farmers call for improvements to Mercosur agreement

At the Frauenkirche in Dresden, farmers protested for improvements to the EU's planned free trade agreement with four South American Mercosur states. "We are not against the agreement," said Robert Erdmann, spokesman for the Land schafft Verbindung (LSV) Saxony association. However, it must be renegotiated.

Criticism of standards and origin labeling

The farmers demanded a mandatory designation of origin, for example. When the consumer stands in front of Argentinian beef steak, for example, it must be clear that it was produced to unequal standards, said Erdmann. In South America, pesticides are also used "that have rightly been banned here for 20 years".

"If we want to safeguard our regional domestic production in the coming years and decades, we need to send out a very clear signal here," added Marc Bernhardt from LSV Sachsen. Regional products must have priority and be protected against cheap imports.

Farmers protested at highway junctions in further actions in several federal states. There were also protests in France.

Agreement controversial among EU states

The agreement between the EU and Mercosur members Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay would create one of the world's largest free trade zones with more than 700 million inhabitants. Its main aim is to reduce customs duties and thus boost trade. However, farmers fear disproportionate competition from cheap imports from South America.

The agreement was due to be signed in December, but this was postponed. The Italian head of government, Giorgia Meloni, had previously announced that she was not yet ready to agree. France has long been opposed to the trade agreement. There have been repeated violent protests there. Supporters include Germany and Spain.