Time to rethink – Stop the EU-Mercosur agreement!
Negotiations between the EU and Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay), underway for over 20 years, culminated in a political agreement in June last year. The European Commission has since been preparing the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement for signature. But the agreement is highly controversial. The Austrian, Walloon and recently the Dutch parliaments even rejected the agreement in its current form, while key EU Member states (France and Ireland) have expressed clear criticisms. It is hard to identify any other trade agreement as committed to the thinking and political action of the past as the EU-Mercosur Agreement.
The EU-Mercosur Agreement stands for:
- the exacerbation of environmental destruction and the climate crisis through the expansion of car exports and the expansion of feed monocultures and grazing land. The meat and soy sectors continue to drive forward the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, the Cerrado and the dry forests of the Chaco, which are of essential importance for the stabilisation of the world climate and for biological diversity. The agreement will reward these practices. The Brazilian Climate Observatory writes in a statement: “Thus, environmental safeguards within the agreement, which were already insufficient even before COVID-19, have now made the document outdated.“ The recent report on the Amazon prepared for the EU Parliament, states that the “current forest fire and deforestation regime in Amazonia put at risk the world’s richest biodiversity.”
And yet, the agreement does not contain any innovative mechanism to ensure the Parties will respect the international commitments they have listed in provisions related to sustainable development.
The report further adds: “In case violations persist, it only adds a channel of diplomatic discussions, with no possibility to impose material penalties (emphasis added).” While the environmental consequences of the agreement will be very concrete, the mechanisms to avoid them are insufficient. The situation described in the EP report alone should make clear the agreement cannot be ratified as it stands. - the increase in human rights violations with impunity, including physical violence and the expulsion of small farmers and indigenous people from their lands. Many indigenous leaders and environmental defenders in the Mercosur have been murdered, five in Brazil alone between November 2019 and April 2020. Under the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in particular, human rights violations against minorities and members of the opposition, as well as the curtailment of workers’ rights, are the order of the day. By concluding a trade agreement with governments that promote policies of conflict and plunder, the EU is rewarding human rights violations and contradicting its own democratic values. The additional market access driven by this agreement is also likely to add further incentives to commit such abuses.
- an export-oriented agricultural policy that has a detrimental effect on agricultural producer prices on which farmers in Mercosur and EU countries depend. It will bring more harm to animals and damage local food production.Stronger animal welfare and sanitary standards in the EU compared to Mercosur countries make farming more expensive in the EU. Rather than strengthen Mercosur rules, this agreement will reward greater access to cheap meat exports to European markets, creating downward pressure on agricultural producer prices on both sides of the Atlantic. Rising meat exports, increased soy and sugar cane cultivation for livestock feed exported to the EU and agrofuels are intensifying the destruction of the environment, leading to more genetic engineering, massive antibiotics and pesticides use, and soil and water pollution. Moreover, many of the pesticides used in Mercosur are prohibited in the EU.
The COVID-19 crisis should be a wake-up call that biodiversity destruction and the pursuit of unfettered economic and globalized growth has exposed humanity to major threats. Business as usual is no longer an option. The Mercosur deal takes us backwards. Trade policy must, instead, support localised and shorter value chains less susceptible to disruption and greater ability of governments to create resilient and decentralized food and health systems with greater capacity to produce medicines and medical equipment at the regional level. The EU must transform its trade policy objectives towards multilateral trade rules that support and are subservient to ecological, social, human rights and development policies that keep us within planetary boundaries and promote peace. Instead, this agreement will deepen trade asymmetries between the blocs, increasing unemployment, environmental destruction and puts the health of the people on both sides of the Atlantic at risk.
Need for more, not less cooperation: The rejection of the EU-Mercosur deal should not be misconstrued as a rejection of constructive cooperation with the region. The EU must be a respectable and a respectful partner in the fight against hunger and poverty, climate change and the enforcement of ILO core labour standards, the rights of peasants and other persons working in rural areas as defined in the respective UN Declaration, human rights and strong animal welfare standards! Such cooperation must be transparent, inclusive and support the active engagement of civil society organisations. Instead, the EU’s planned agreement with Mercosur goes in exactly the opposite direction.
We therefore call on the Federal Governments and the EU Commission and EU-Parliament to reject this agreement!
Signed by 265 civil society and social movement organisations from the EU and Mercosur:
| EcoLeaks | Argentina |
| ATTAC Argentina | Argentina |
| Asamblea Argentina mejor sin TLC | Argentina |
| Nodo UTT San Cristobal, Buenos Aires | Argentina |
| FUNDACION CAUCE: CULTURA AMBIENTAL, CAUSA ECOLOGISTA | Argentina |
| Casa Rio Lab | Argentina |
| Asociacion Bienvnturados los Pobres | Argentina |
| Anders Handeln | Austria |
| GLOBAL 2000 / Friends of the Earth Austria | Austria |
| DKA Austria | Austria |
| Coordination of the Austrian Bishops Conference for international Development and Mission | Austria |
| Welthaus Diözese Graz-Seckau | Austria |
| ÖBV-Via Campesina Austria | Austria |
| Attac Austria | Austria |
| VIER PFOTEN – Stiftung für Tierschutz | Austria |
| ELA | Basque Country |
| 11.11.11 | Belgium |
| A Contre-Courant | Belgium |
| Mouvement DEMAIN | Belgium |
| INTAL | Belgium |
| Wervel | Belgium |
| Slow Food Europe | Belgium |
| Fern | Belgium |
| Centro de Documentación e Información Bolivia – CEDIB | Bolivia |
| Movimento ODSejo | Brasil |
| Central de Cooperativas Unisol Brasil | Brasil |
| Justiça Global | Brasil |
| Justiça nos Trilhos | Brasil |
| REBRIP | Brazil |
| Eurogroup For Animals | Brussels |
| Pascuum SCCL | Catalonia |
| Lafede.cat – Organitzacions per a la Justícia Global | Catalonia |
| ODG | Catalonia |
| Hablemos de Derechos Humanos | Costa Rica |
| La Cadejos, Comunicación Feminista | Costa Rica |
| Coordinadora de ONG para el Desarrollo | España |
| Iniciativa Cambio Personal Justicia Global | España |
| Madres por el Clima Asturias | España |
| Grupo de Acción por el Medioambiente (GRAMA) | España |
| UGT | España |
| Ecologistas en Acción Segovia | España |
| foodwatch international | Europe |
| European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC) | Europe |
| Friends of the Earth Europe – FOEE | Europe |
| Seattle to Brussels Network | Europe |
| The European Environmental Bureau, EEB | Europe |
| Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy | Europe and US |
| EHNE BIZKAIA | EUSKAL HERRIA |
| ETXALDE Nekazaritza Iraunkorra | EUSKAL HERRIA |
| Veblen Institute | France |
| France Nature Environnement | France |
| Aitec | France |
| Comité Pauvreté et Politique | France |
| Confederation paysanne | France |
| reseau Roosevelt IDF | France |
| alofa tuvalu | France |
| Diagonal France | France |
| foodwatch France | France |
| Attac France | France |
| Collectif Ethique sur l’étiquette | France |
| Amis de la Terre | France |
| CADTM France | France |
| Réseau Foi & Justice Afrique Europe | France |
| Sherpa | France |
| France Amérique Latine (FAL) | France |
| Autres Brésils | France |
| Ligue des droits de l’Homme (LDH) | France |
| PowerShift e.V. | Germany |
| Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft | Germany |
| foodwatch Germany | Germany |
| Society for Threatened Peoples | Germany |
| FDCL – Center for Research and Documentation Chile-Latin America | Germany |
| Aktion 3.Welt Saar e.V. | Germany |
| Kooperation Brasilien | Germany |
| Netzwerk Gerechter Welthandel | Germany |
| Action Aid International | International |
| GRAIN | International |
| CADTM | International |
| Greenpeace | International |
| CIDSE | International |
| Front Line Defenders | International |
| Zero Waste Alliance | Ireland |
| Sonairte – The National Ecology Centre | Ireland |
| ATTAC Ireland | Ireland |
| An Claíomh Glas | Ireland |
| An Taisce, The National Trust for Ireland | Ireland |
| Comhlámh | Ireland |
| Coomhola Salmon Trust | Ireland |
| Fair Trade Ireland | Ireland |
| Eco Advocacy | Ireland |
| Good Energies Alliance | Ireland |
| Hedge Laying Association of Ireland | Ireland |
| Irish Peatland Conservation Council | Ireland |
| Leave No Trace, Ireland | Ireland |
| Nuclear Free Local Authorities, NFLA All Ireland Sustainable Energy Forum | Ireland |
| Trocaire | Ireland |
| The Organic Centre | Ireland |
| VOICE Ireland | Ireland |
| Forest Friends | Ireland |
| Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland | Ireland |
| CoastWatch Ireland | Ireland |
| Cork Environmental Forum, CEF | Ireland |
| Cultivate, Sustainable Ireland Co-operative | Ireland |
| Environmental Pillar | Ireland |
| FEASTA, Ireland | Ireland |
| Friends of the Earth, Ireland | Ireland |
| Irish Seed Savers | Ireland |
| Irish Wildlife Trust, IWT | Ireland |
| Latin America Solidarity Centre, LASC | Ireland |
| Native Woodland Trust | Ireland |
| ICSA | Ireland |
| Green Economy Foundation | Ireland |
| BirdWatch Ireland | Ireland |
| Fairwatch | Italy |
| Stop TTIP Italia | Italy |
| Terra! | Italy |
| FONDAZIONE CAPTA ONLUS | Italy |
| Slow Food Cremonese | Italy |
| VerdiEuropaVerde Milano | Italy |
| Civica. | Italy |
| transform! italia | Italy |
| Coordinamento nazionale no triv | Italy |
| A Sud, Ecologia e Cooperazione Onlus | Italy |
| Associazione Culturale Musica in Corso | Italy |
| ATTAC ITALIA | Italy |
| A titolo personale | Italy |
| Coordinamento Nord Sud del Mondo | Italy |
| Associazione Medici per l’Ambiente – ISDE Italia | Italy |
| CiLLSA | Italy |
| Associazione Natura Cavalli e Carrozze | Italy |
| proDES FVG – ASP | Italy |
| Legambiente | Italy |
| Acqua bene comune Valle Telesina | Italy |
| comitato acqua pubblica di Salerno | Italy |
| Salviamo il Paesaggio Casalasco | Italy |
| HempRevolution APS | Italy |
| CGIL – Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro | Italy |
| Fridays For Future Pisa | Italy |
| Associazione Botteghe del Mondo Italia | Italy |
| Meetup Andora in Movimento | Italy |
| Italian Forum Water Movement | Italy |
| LAV | Italy |
| COMITATO STOP TTIP UDINE | Italy |
| Associazione Cooperazione Nord-Sud “Il Chicco di Senape” | Italy |
| MOVIMENTO CONSUMATORI | Italy |
| Navdanya International | Italy |
| ARCI | Italy |
| Cospe | Italy |
| Associazione USICONS | Italy |
| Movimento Umanista Popolare | Italy |
| Fridays For Future Roma | Italy |
| SOBREVIVENCIA, amigos de la Tierra Paraguay | Italy |
| Fridays For Future Roma | Italy |
| AIMeF | Italy |
| foodwatch Netherlands | Netherlands |
| Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom dutch section | Netherlands |
| Handel Anders! coalitie | Netherlands |
| Milieudefensie | Netherlands |
| Both ENDS | Netherlands |
| Platform Aarde Boer Consument | Netherlands |
| TTIP, CETA and agriculture coalition | Netherlands |
| Nederlandse Melkveehouders Vakbond (NMV) | Netherlands |
| Transnational Institute (TNI) | Netherlands |
| Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO) | Netherlands |
| Hivos | Netherlands |
| FNV- Dutch National Trade Union | Netherlands |
| Bionext | Netherlands |
| The Norwegian Solidarity Committee for Latin America | Norway |
| Intersindical Valenciana | País Valencià-Spain |
| Fundación Hugo Daniel Ramírez Osorio | Paraguay |
| Comunidad y Desarrollo Sustentable (CODES) | Paraguay |
| FIRE Paraguay | Paraguay |
| INSTITUTO SOCIOAMBIENTAL del SUR | Paraguay |
| SOBREVIVENCIA | Paraguay |
| TROCA- Plataforma por um Comércio Internacional Justo | Portugal |
| Climáximo | Portugal |
| ACI – Centro InterCulturaCidade | Portugal |
| Cooperativa Mula | Portugal |
| Palombar – Conservação da Natureza e do Património Rural | Portugal |
| ZERO – Association for the Sustainability of the Earth System | Portugal |
| Fruta Feia CRL | Portugal |
| CIDAC – Centro de Intervenção para o Desenvolvimento Amílcar Cabral | Portugal |
| Associação de Combate à Precariedade – Precários Inflexíveis | Portugal |
| LPN – Liga para a Protecção da Natureza | Portugal |
| MOVIMENTO GAIO | Portugal |
| Internacional de Servicios Públicos- Isp Americas | Regional Americas |
| Plataforma América Latina mejor sin TLC | Regional Americas |
| Coordinadora Ecoloxista d’Asturies | Spain |
| Campanya Catalunya No als Tractats de Comerç i Inversió | Spain |
| Amigos de la Tierra | Spain |
| TTIP-CETA-TISA Tarragona-Reus | Spain |
| ATTAC ESPAÑA | Spain |
| Solidaridad Internacional Andalucia | Spain |
| Trawunche Madrid (Coordinación de Apoyo al Pueblo Mapuche) | Spain |
| Comisión de migración y antirracismo 8M | Spain |
| Comité por la paz de Colombia en Madrid | Spain |
| Enginyeria Sense Fronteres | Spain |
| GOB Mallorca | Spain |
| CGT (ESPAÑA) | Spain |
| FEMINISTAS POR EL CLIMA | Spain |
| Movimiento Ibérico Antinuclear | Spain |
| Asociación Cultural Brasileña Maloka | Spain |
| Plataforma contra el canciller climátic Pla de l’estany | Spain |
| Campanya per una Justícia Fiscal | Spain |
| CCOO – CS de Comisiones Obreras | Spain |
| Sindicato ELA | Spain |
| Grup Ecologista Maigmó(GREMA)-Ecologistas en Acción San Vicente del Raspeig | Spain |
| Attac Acordem | Spain |
| Comité Antinuclaer y Ecologista de Salamanca | Spain |
| Actúa por un Mundo Sostenible | Spain |
| PENSE PENSIONS DIGNES | Spain |
| COAG. Coordinadora de Organizaciones de Agricultores y Ganaderos. | Spain |
| Economistas sin Fronteras | Spain |
| CCOO de CATALUNYA | Spain |
| Marxa Mundial de Dones-Catalunya | Spain |
| Ecologistas en Acción | Spain |
| Campaña No a los Tratados de Comercio e Inversión | Spain |
| CCOO ARAGON | Spain |
| Observatori DESC | Spain |
| Feminismos Sierra Noroeste Madrid | Spain |
| Ecologistas en Accion federacion de Almeria | Spain |
| Ciudadana | Spain |
| asociacion vuelta al campo | Spain |
| Boza Sur | Spain |
| Equo | Spain |
| Agro Can Genover | Spain |
| ECOLOGISTAS EN ACCIÓN-ADEPA | Spain |
| illes solidàries amb el sud | Spain |
| Acció Ecologista-Agró | Spain |
| CCOO | Spain |
| La Garbancita Ecológica S. Coop. Mad. Consumo Responsable | Spain |
| Ganaderas en Red | Spain |
| ClimAcció | Spain |
| Acció Ecofeminista | Spain |
| Rebeca | Spain |
| Recortes Cero | Spain |
| Fundación ENtrnetantos | Spain |
| Kutembea na Tanzania, NGO | Spain |
| 8 M Guadarrama Feminista | Spain |
| Plataforma ciudadana para una Transición Ecológica Justa | Spain |
| ReHd Mad! red de huertos urbanos comunitaros de Madrid | Spain |
| Madrid Agroecológico | Spain |
| Sello AgroEcoSocial zona centro | Spain |
| Ecologistas en Acción Ciudad de Almería | Spain |
| Centro de Estudios Rurales y de Agricultura Internacional | Spain |
| Red de Economía Social y Solidaria Madrid | Spain |
| Plataforma por la Ganadería Extensiva y el Pastoralismo | Spain |
| Observatori de l’Alimentació | Spain |
| L’Etnogràfica. Antropologia per a la transformació social | Spain |
| Coordinadora Ecoloxista d’Asturies | Spain |
| CIDES | Spain |
| Sindicato Labrego Galego | Spain |
| Observatorio para una Cultura del Territorio | Spain |
| Asociación Restauración Paisaje Tradicional Verato | Spain |
| Coordinadora de ONGD | Spain |
| Plataforma contra macroabocador de la ribera | Spain |
| Intersindical Región Murciana | Spain |
| Ecotono S.Coop.And | Spain |
| Red ONGD Madrid | Spain |
| Assemblea 15M Sarrià St. Gervasi | Spain |
| Recortes Cero | Spain |
| Asociación en Defensa del Territorio del Aljarafe | Spain |
| Entrepueblos/Entrpobles/Entrepobos/Herriarte | Spanish State |
| Observatorio de Multinacionales en América Latina – Paz con Dignidad | Spanish State |
| Jordens Vänner – FoE Sweden | Sweden |
| FIAN Sweden | Sweden |
| Banana Link | UK/INTERNATIONAL |