European farmers have threatened to block deliveries to supermarkets and leave shelves empty as part of their biggest tractor protests against the EU yet.


They are furious after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a free trade deal with the EU Mercosur trading bloc of South American countries.


The deal, which farmers fear will flood the EU with cheap beef and poultry, requires the signature of bitterly divided European governments that could veto it.


Negotiations had dragged on for 25 years before Ms von der Leyen was ready to sign the deal when France, the most influential member state to oppose the deal, became embroiled in a domestic crisis. political crisis.


Yet it remains a huge risk for the EU chief, who has staked her credibility on the controversial deal in the early days of her second five-year term, which began on December 1.



Belgian and French farmers block the border between Hensies and Crespin

Belgian and French farmers block the border between Hensies and Crespin – FRANCOIS LO PRESTI/AFP via GETTY IMAGES



As part of this, tractors rolled into Brussels Protests across Europe against EU net zero rules in June. Afraid of the approaching European Parliament elections, Mrs. von der Leyen relented to the demands of farmers and has postponed or weakened the new green rules for agriculture.


Bart Dickens, chairman of the Farmers Defense Force Belgium, told The Telegraph that protests against the deal with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Uruguay would dwarf these dramatic demonstrations.


He said: “Ursula von der Leyen is killing us. I think it will become much bigger.”



Bart Dickens, chairman of the Farmers Defense Force Belgium

Bart Dickens, chairman of the Farmers Defense Force Belgium – KRISTOF VAN ACCOM/BELGA NEWS AGENCY/ALAMY



Militant farmer groups across Europe are already holding talks via Zoom and in person about how to bring Brussels to its knees with a series of actions in the new year, he said.


Mr Dickens added: “We can stop food supplies and distribution to supermarkets.


“I hope we can do that in all European countries. It’s an example. If you kill the farmers, the supermarket shelves will be empty and you won’t have what you want.”


Serge Bousquet-Chassagne, local head of the militant Coordination Rurale union in France’s southwestern Lot-et-Garonne region, said French farmers were ready to descend on Brussels at any moment.


He told The Telegraph: “Our fellow farmers closest to Belgium went to Brussels about two weeks ago and of course we are ready to go back in even greater numbers if the Mercosur agreement is actually signed.”


Peasant groups from Eastern Europe, The NetherlandsItaly and Spain could join the French and Belgians.


After the deal was announced, the Elysée said it was “unacceptable” and that Ms von der Leyen was not among the leaders welcomed by Emmanuel Macron to the conference. reopening of Notre-Dame cathedral the following weekend.


Bousquet-Chassagne said Macron was “playing a double game as usual.”


The European Commission has agreed a zero tariff on 99,000 tonnes of beef and 180,000 tonnes of poultry, equivalent to 4 million cattle and 600 million birds.


By some estimates, this risks 18 percent of EU beef production being displaced by high-value cuts such as steak, which it is feared will drive down prices.


Brazil is already the EU’s largest trading partner in the agricultural sector, with imports of £14.2 billion last year. A further £3.8bn worth of food was imported from Argentina, with beef imports increasing by 30.5 per cent in 2022.


Announcing the deal, Ms Von der Leyen, a German, said she had heard farmers’ concerns and that the agreement included safeguards to protect them from undermining.


The deal will have to be ratified by EU leaders and the European Parliament. A qualified majority representing 65 percent of the EU’s population is needed, with no fewer than 15 countries agreeing.


In September, eleven member states publicly called for the deal to be concluded. These were Germany, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic.


Germany is the most powerful EU member state to back the deal, which sees it as a potential boon for the car industry, which needs new markets.


Spain, which has close ties with South America, has also welcomed the deal, claiming it provides safeguards to protect farmers from undermining food standards.


But Spain’s main farmers’ unions have spoken out against the free trade deal with Mercosur and protests have been called from next Monday.



Farmers watch a blockade containing 578 bales of straw being built in Auch, south-west France

Farmers watch a blockade being built with 578 bales of straw in Auch, south-west France – LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via GETTY IMAGES



The deal could be vetoed by a blocking minority of France, Ireland, Italy, Poland and Austria.


Coalition negotiations for the next Irish government will continue after Ireland’s elections in November, but Poland has said it will oppose the deal.


A spokesperson for the Austrian Farmers’ Union said: “We remain true to our position and reject this agreement as it is hostile to our farmers. This agreement is not only opposed in Austria, but also in France, Ireland and Poland.”


But the Italian government has kept its cards close to its chest, while the Dutch coalition government has not yet reached a common position on the deal.


Massimiliano Giansanti, president of Confagricoltura, the oldest agricultural association in Italy, said: “As far as Mercasour is concerned, we are in favor of a clear no.


“European farmers will probably be forced to lower their prices to compete with South American products. We have already lost about 20 percent of our farmers in recent years, and we are at risk of losing more.”


The powerful European agricultural lobbies have taken action to unite opposition to the deal.


The Irish Farmers Association, fearful of the impact on Irish beef and poultry, has already sent representatives to Brussels, where they met other farming groups.


Lennart Nilsson is chairman of Copa-Cogeca, the European farmers’ organization in Brussels.


He said farmers were already under pressure from the cost of living and were under pressure after the EU was dissolved tariffs on Ukrainian agricultural exports after Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion.


Ms von der Leyen is expected to tell EU leaders that the election of Donald Trumpas the next American president, is a reason to agree to the deal.


Trump is seen by Brussels as a threat to international trade rules, which EU-Mercosur would strengthen, because of his promise to hit the EU with tariffs.


Mr Nilsson said: “We can understand the geopolitical reasons for this, we can even agree with them, but why do farmers always have to pay in these geopolitical discussions?


“If I listen to my members, it is very possible that farmers will end up back on the streets.”


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