#eu-mercosur-trade-deal

#eu-mercosur-trade-deal

Hundreds of tractors rolled into Paris early on Tuesday morning as French farmers protest against the trade deal the European Union has struck with four South American countries. The long-delayed trade pact with the Mercosur bloc was approved by the EU last week and is due to be signed on Saturday. Farmers in France and several other countries fear being undercut by an influx of cheap beef and other products from South America.

The European Commission, which concluded negotiations a year ago, and countries such as Germany and Spain argue it is a vital part of an EU push to unlock new markets to offset business lost from U.S. tariffs and to reduce reliance on China by securing access to critical minerals. Opponents led by France, the European Union's largest agricultural producer, say the agreement will jack up imports of cheap food products, including beef, poultry and sugar, undercutting domestic farmers.

The European Commission, which concluded negotiations a year ago, and countries such as Germany and Spain argue it is a vital part of an EU push to unlock new markets to offset business lost from U.S. tariffs and to reduce reliance on China by securing access to critical minerals. Opponents led by France, the European Union's largest agricultural producer, say the agreement will jack up imports of cheap food products, including beef, poultry and sugar, undercutting domestic farmers.

French farmers have blocked roads around the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe with their tractors in protest at an imminent EU trade deal with South American countries that they say will create unfair competition. The farmers blockaded motorways outside Paris on Thursday and dozens of tractors overran police checkpoints to reach the city centre in a pre-dawn protest organised by the Coordination Rurale union against the planned trade accord.

Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.