Hungary Today | 31 March 2026
Further EU free trade agreements threaten farmers, agriculture organizations warn
The European Commission is currently working on new free trade agreements, this time with Australia and Morocco, that could once again harm European farmers and consumers. The Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture (NAK) and the National Association of Hungarian Farmers’ Circles and Farmers Cooperatives (MAGOSZ) strongly condemn the European Commission’s irresponsible actions, as “they disregard the interests of European farmers and food safety.”
Rising production costs, falling profitability, and growing market uncertainty are shaping the European agricultural sector, putting farmers under enormous pressure even now. In addition to the Mercosur Agreement, that was pushed through as part of the EU’s decision-making processes, free trade agreements between the EU and Australia as well as between the EU and Morocco are now reportedly taking shape. European farmers and consumers could once again bear the brunt of these deals, the Hungarian organizations warned.
As stated in the joint declaration by NAK and MAGOSZ, European and, consequently, Hungarian agriculture must once again pay the price for the trade agreements and political deals concluded or yet to be concluded by the European Union—that often do not even meet transparency requirements.
They emphasized that European farmers are already under enormous pressure: rising production costs, declining profitability, and increasing market uncertainty are shaping the sector.
Despite these circumstances, however, the European Commission plans to conclude a series of additional trade agreements that will have a detrimental impact on European agriculture.
In addition to the Mercosur agreement, agreements between the EU and Australia as well as between the EU and Morocco are also taking shape. The implementation of both agreements would have significant implications for the future of European agricultural production.
The statement notes that the planned agreement between the EU and Australia promises a significant expansion of market access for sensitive products—particularly beef, lamb, and sugar. Australia is one of the most important players in the global agricultural market: it ranks among the world’s top exporters of wheat and beef, while accounting for about two-thirds of global lamb exports.
“In the face of such a competitor, further market opening for European producers is not only a challenge but an immediate existential threat,” they warned.
“It is particularly concerning that these concessions—similar to those in the Mercosur agreement—are not accompanied by a requirement to comply with EU production standards,” they noted.
The situation is similar with the emerging agreement between the EU and Morocco. Recently, Members of the European Parliament have also voiced serious criticism of the agreement, particularly regarding its transparency, legality, and the impact on agricultural markets. The influx of Moroccan imports could trigger a chain reaction across the entire agricultural sector, said NAK and MAGOSZ in their statement.
NAK and MAGOSZ firmly reject these trade agreements—in line with the statement by Copa Cogeca, the umbrella organization of European farmers. The two organizations take the firm stance that agriculture must not be a subject of negotiation:
“Without protection for sensitive products, the EU market must not be opened to products from third countries.”
European food security, the future of rural communities, and the strategic importance of the agricultural sector are at stake, they emphasized. Agreements concluded without due consideration could easily cause irreversible damage, the statement concluded.
