© BELGIUM
The current proposal for a free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay) is unacceptable. The Green party said this on Monday through its co-chairman Jeremie Vaneeckhout. Groen wants to bring that position to the federal government table and also raise it in the Flemish Parliament, in order to encourage the federal and Flemish governments to raise the matter with the European Commission.
Source: BELGA
Today at 07:43
The dissatisfaction with the provisional agreement is one of the reasons for the farmers’ protests in recent weeks. Today, hundreds of angry farmers are again expected in Brussels, where the European Ministers of Agriculture are meeting. One of the demands of the organizers of the event is that the EU does not approve the text.
Groen also believes that the Mercosur agreement in its current form should be overhauled. “Mercosur is a disaster for our planet and our health,” says Vaneeckhout. “They are still allowed to use pesticides in South America that are banned in Europe because they make people sick. It is absurd that these fruits and vegetables would end up in our supermarket.”
The party wants an end to the agreement in its current form. Rules on deforestation must be introduced to protect the Amazon rainforest and the Paris climate agreement must become an essential element, it is said. Groen points out that there is currently too little in the agreement to protect Europe against unfair competition.
Groen points out that the Walloon government, “including the MR”, is also against the agreement and that Wouter Beke (CD&V) was critical in the Chamber. “We call on the Flemish liberals in the federal and Flemish government to follow their French-speaking colleagues. If they are really concerned about the future of our farmers, they will block the Mercosur agreement in its current form,” says Vaneeckhout.