13:09 8 August 2025
Trade Deals May Destabilize Agricultural Markets
The EU’s trade agreement with Mercosur countries is raising serious concerns among European farmers, but experts warn that it's only part of a larger issue.
“It’s not just about Mercosur – the EU has over 40 free trade agreements, and the import quotas from these deals are cumulative. This system may increasingly destabilize food markets across the EU,” Andrzej Gantner, Vice President of the Polish Federation of Food Producers, said.
The Mercosur agreement, signed in December 2024 after 25 years of negotiations, still awaits ratification. Poland, alongside France, Austria, and Italy, strongly opposes it, citing unequal standards and risks to local producers. Concerns center around increased imports of cheaper agricultural goods, especially meat and grain, produced under less stringent food safety and sustainability rules.
Meanwhile, the end of temporary trade preferences for Ukraine has led to revised import quotas for sensitive goods like sugar, eggs, and wheat. While intended to stabilize the EU market, the changes are seen as another source of pressure on local agriculture.
“There’s growing fear that the EU’s expanding free trade zone in agriculture could undermine export potential and competitiveness, especially for countries like Poland. Europe may not be ready for such rapid liberalization,” Gantner warned.
(Newseria)
