#farmers-protests

#farmers-protests

We have reached out to our Mercosur partners and agreed to postpone slightly the signature,

The European Union has delayed a massive free-trade deal with South American countries amid protests by EU farmers and as last-minute opposition by France and Italy threatened to derail the agreement. European Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho confirmed on Thursday that the signing of the trade pact between the EU and South American bloc Mercosur will be postponed until January, further delaying a deal that had taken some 25 years to negotiate.

Tractors take to the streets of Brussels amid concerns that agriculture is being used as a bargaining chip in the EU

Hundreds of tractors have clogged the streets of Brussels as farmers converged on the Belgian capital to protest against the contentious trade agreement between the European Union and South American nations they say will destroy their livelihoods. The demonstrations erupted on Thursday as EU leaders gathered for a summit where the fate of the Mercosur deal hung in the balance. More than 150 tractors blocked central Brussels, with an estimated 10,000 protesters expected in the European quarter, according to farm lobby Copa-Cogeca.

France is already seeing widespread protests and road blockades from farmers - so far, the largest union has not got involved. But that could change if an EU treaty is signed this week. The head of France's largest agricultural union the FNSEA has threatened more protests if the EU's controversial Mercosur trade deal is signed this week. Arnaud Rousseau told France Inter radio on Wednesday that there will be "much larger protests" if the Mercosur deal is signed by the end of the week.