The Mercosur Free Trade Agreement, set to reopen negotiations in Brazil, has sparked concerns within the Spanish sugar beet sector, as highlighted by the UGT-FICA Sugar Trade Union Section. The agreement aims to permit the entry of 190,000 tons of sugar from Brazil into the EU without tariffs, in addition to increased quota for Ukrainian sugar, potentially leading to an oversupply and undermining the competitiveness of European sugar beet producers. The union points out that Brazilian sugar producers may not adhere to the same stringent European standards, exacerbating the challenge for European growers who face restrictions on pesticide use due to the European Green Pact. This scenario threatens to jeopardize the employment and production of around 150,000 European sugar beet growers and calls for political intervention to protect local production and the livelihoods of sector workers.