In Belgium, they fear collateral damage because of the agreement with Mercosur: we are not happy

While representatives of the South American bloc resume negotiations with a summit in Entre Ríos, the European leader said he had recently participated in the last European Council of Agriculture. "Thus, some messages have been heard, especially concerning a number of sensitive products for Belgian agriculture: beef, sugar, poultry and ethanol, especially beef."

Europe has a commercial vocation but also wants a balance and a protection "(Denis Ducarme, Belgian Minister of Agriculture)

"We have asked the European Commission that the quota for cheap beef does not exceed 70 000 tonnes, but we are at 99 000 tonnes and it is uncomfortable for us. sugar." The Commission did not follow our request in this case, because no, I'm not very happy " with the agreement with Mercosur, he added.

According to Ducarme, it is necessary "to obtain additional information because of the risk of unfair competition vis-à-vis European farmers". We know that every product entering the European market meets European standards, but I'm worried about environmental or animal welfare criteria in beef production. "

"There are phytosanitary products that the standards are strict in Europe and in particular in Belgium and less strict in the Mercosur countries. Glyphosate is much more used in the Mercosur countries than in Europe. This is an element of unfair competition on which I would like additional information from the European Commission. And even if the beef or sugar Mercosur meets the European legal minimum in terms of waste, but has more than the average European: we will not stop telling consumers, "said the Belgian minister in a report released Monday. the morning Clarín.

He also pointed out that Europe "It has a commercial vocation but also wants a balance because it has a vocation to protect itself, the European market has to trade as much as possible but to protect itself, we must therefore continue to work in Europe, it is a form of 39; balance. "

For this reason, he declared before the agreement with Mercosur, "the feeling of the Belgian farmers is more negative than positive, and I think we must help to identify the productions that can be made with this agreement, but for that, we still need time. " .