ISDS Case Map
Mercosur
During a five-day trip to Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay this week, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis tried to push forward negotiations on a free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
If the EU-Mercosur agreement is of concern to farmers, it is of even greater concern to producers of certified organic food.
The European Commission has proposed financial support for farmers negatively impacted by the EU-Mercosur trade agreement – but the safety net would only be triggered in the ‘worst-case scenario’.
The agricultural issue once again exposed sharp divisions within political groups in the European Parliament, as EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič faced his first grilling over the EU-Mercosur trade deal since its signing in December.
The deal reinforces the same pattern seen since the initial colonisation of Latin America, which is the pillaging of primary resources by mostly foreign interests that are then converted into higher-value industrial products to be sold for a monumental profit.
One of France's largest farmers' unions is seeking guarantees from the prime minister's office that it will defend a form of agriculture focused on protecting small farmers, who say are being crushed by free trade.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told his Emirati counterpart that Brazil will work to seal a deal between South American trade bloc Mercosur and the United Arab Emirates in coming months.
Lithuania should not back the ratification of the free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American Mercosur bloc, Agriculture Minister Ignas Hofmanas has said.
The EU-Mercosur trade deal does not only contradicts the EU's flagship legislation against global deforestation but will potentially force the European Commission and EU Member States into legal and political disputes over its implementation.
The Brazilian multinational JBS, the world's leading producer of animal proteins, is ready to use the trade agreement to increase its presence in Europe, which accounted for around 7% of its exports in 2024.
