The Spanish government supports the free trade agreement between the European Union and MERCOSUR, the common market of South America, unlike other countries such as France, Austria, Ireland, and Poland.
At the G20 summit in Brazil, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that Paris would not sign the agreement in its current form.
In contrast, Madrid's position has angered Spanish farmers, who are threatening protests.
"I believe that there is a certain mythology surrounding MERCOSUR that, in my opinion, does not reflect the content of the agreement and does not correspond to the moment we are living in," said the Kingdom's Minister of Agriculture Luis Planas on Monday in Brussels, adding that in such a "complex" geopolitical context, Europe "needs" such an agreement.
Does it make sense for the European Union to isolate itself now? Or is it better to expand the network of trade agreements with third countries to maintain its economic and trade influence?Luis Planas Minister of Agriculture of Spain
Euronews spoke with representatives of major farmers' associations in Spain. All of them oppose the agreement between the EU and MERCOSUR, which they consider "unfair", as agricultural products from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela are not subject to the strict sanitary and environmental regulations that exist in the EU, placing Europeans at a disadvantage.
It is unimaginable that the European Union, created to protect its member states, would force us to compete under conditions of unfair competition with third countries.Cipri Guillen Representative of the Arganda Wine Cooperative
"If the minister were a farmer, I assure you he would join his French and German colleagues in opposing this trade agreement. We are required to meet increasingly high standards, which raises our production costs," added the winemaker.
What about the EU's "Green" goals?
Spanish farmers are not yet calling for nationwide mobilization. However, protests have already swept through France, despite the government claiming it will protect the sector.
"I have always defended our farmers. Regarding the agreement between the EU and MERCOSUR, our position is clear: we have quality agricultural products, and our farmers have put in a lot of effort for this. Like many other Europeans, we want to preserve our agriculture," stated President Macron.
"I hear the anger, I feel the tension and misunderstanding from farmers regarding the proposed agreement. France firmly opposes it," added Prime Minister Michel Barnier, announcing parliamentary debates on the MERCOSUR agreement.
Recently, a demonstration took place in Brussels with farmers from various EU countries.
Among the protesters was Andoni Garcia from the Coordination Committee of Farmers and Ranchers Organizations (COAG). The Spaniard welcomes the French Prime Minister's position and regrets that Pedro Sanchez did not follow the example of his neighbors.
"The Minister of Agriculture did not even invite farmers to discuss the agreement with MERCOSUR," he lamented.
Garcia assures that the free trade agreement will promote intensive agricultural models, which completely contradicts the EU's "Green Deal" goals and the "From Farm to Fork" strategy.
Will tractors block Spanish highways? Farmers do not rule this out and promise to coordinate their actions.