Thousands of Irish farmers have staged protests against the European Union’s trade agreement with the South American bloc Mercosur, a day after EU member states approved the deal despite opposition from Ireland and France.
Tractors gathered in Athlone, central Ireland, with demonstrators displaying banners reading “Stop EU-Mercosur” and accusing the EU of betraying rural communities.
The agreement would create one of the world’s largest free-trade zones between the EU and Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, lowering tariffs on goods including food, minerals, machinery and pharmaceuticals.
Key developments:
• Ireland, France, Poland, Hungary and Austria voted against the deal.
• Farmers fear cheaper South American imports could undercut European agriculture.
• Irish producers warn of an influx of up to 99,000 tonnes of South American beef.
• Francie Gorman, President of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), said Irish MEPs should reject the agreement in the European Parliament.
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