Thousands of Irish farmers took to the streets yesterday, protesting against the EU's trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur. The demonstration in central Ireland was just one in a series of protests across Europe, as EU states approved the treaty despite opposition from Ireland and France.
Farmers in tractors drove onto roads, carrying signs that read "Stop EU-Mercosur" and emblazoned with the words "sell out". The Irish Farmers' Association, which represents the country's farming community, described the result of the vote as "very disappointing", saying it would renew its focus on securing a majority against the deal in the European parliament.
The trade deal is expected to create one of the world's largest free-trade areas, boosting commerce between the 27-nation EU and Mercosur bloc comprising Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay. However, many European farmers fear their livelihoods will be undercut by a flow of cheaper goods from agricultural giant Brazil and its neighbours.
The Irish government had expressed concerns that imports from Mercosur may not adhere to the EU's strict environmental standards. Farmers at the protest carried signs calling for an "Irexit" – a hypothetical exit from the European Union – and accusing the Latin American bloc's beef exports of not following the same standards.
The agreement will now need to be agreed by a majority of MEPs in the European assembly, where voting coalitions have become more volatile and unpredictable. The fate of the deal remains uncertain, as the Irish Farmers' Association urged its MEPs to reject the accord.
As the EU continues to push forward with the Mercosur trade deal, concerns about the impact on farming communities across Europe are growing. The protests in Ireland serve as a reminder that the deal is not without controversy, and that many are determined to have their voices heard.
Farmers in tractors drove onto roads, carrying signs that read "Stop EU-Mercosur" and emblazoned with the words "sell out". The Irish Farmers' Association, which represents the country's farming community, described the result of the vote as "very disappointing", saying it would renew its focus on securing a majority against the deal in the European parliament.
The trade deal is expected to create one of the world's largest free-trade areas, boosting commerce between the 27-nation EU and Mercosur bloc comprising Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay. However, many European farmers fear their livelihoods will be undercut by a flow of cheaper goods from agricultural giant Brazil and its neighbours.
The Irish government had expressed concerns that imports from Mercosur may not adhere to the EU's strict environmental standards. Farmers at the protest carried signs calling for an "Irexit" – a hypothetical exit from the European Union – and accusing the Latin American bloc's beef exports of not following the same standards.
The agreement will now need to be agreed by a majority of MEPs in the European assembly, where voting coalitions have become more volatile and unpredictable. The fate of the deal remains uncertain, as the Irish Farmers' Association urged its MEPs to reject the accord.
As the EU continues to push forward with the Mercosur trade deal, concerns about the impact on farming communities across Europe are growing. The protests in Ireland serve as a reminder that the deal is not without controversy, and that many are determined to have their voices heard.
I'm so confused about this EU-Mercosur thingy... Can't they just talk to Brazil like normal neighbors instead of making all these complicated trade deals? 
Those farmers driving tractors onto the streets in Ireland seem really passionate about it tho 
I mean, who wouldn't want to keep their livelihoods safe from cheaper goods from Brazil? 
But at the same time, isn't this whole EU thing supposed to be like a big team effort? 
Anyway, I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens next... 
I just saw this news and I'm totally puzzled... like, what's going on? These Irish farmers really think the EU-Mercosur trade deal will ruin their lives? 
I mean, isn't the whole point of trade agreements to make life easier for everyone involved?
And what about all these environmental concerns? Shouldn't we be trying to help each other out, not making things harder?
doesn't that just mean there's more competition and maybe even better prices for us in the end? 
Or am I missing something? 
EU'sMercosur deal is gonna be a game-changer for farmers... NOT. 
Those Irish farmers just showed us how passionate they can get when it comes to defending their livelihoods. 
Now, let's see if the EU listens! 
. It's not just the economic impact, but also the environmental standards they're worried will be watered down. The fact that EU states voted on it anyway is pretty wild 
It's like, hello, we have a right to know where our food comes from and how it was produced! 
and undercutting their livelihoods 
.
. EU's gotta listen to these concerns tho 
think about it we're talking about ppl who literally grow our food and put food on our tables yet they're being taken advantage of by cheaper goods from Brazil 
it's like we're gonna have to sell out our own farmers 2 save a buck 
anyone think about the environmental impact on small-scale farms? btw, Irexit is a legit concern 
.
I'm not surprised by this at all, protest's always a last resort when you feel like your livelihood's gonna get screwed. Those Irish farmers think they're just going to drive onto roads with tractors and magically change the EU's mind? 