AGPM condemns the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur

Maize (Corn)

Paraguay

Published Jan 27, 2024

Tridge summary

The Association General des Producteurs de Mais (AGPM) has raised concerns over the potential impacts of the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement on the corn sector. The agreement, which has been under negotiation for nearly 25 years and concluded in 2019, has not been ratified due to opposition from several countries, including France. The AGPM criticizes the European Commission for pushing for the agreement's ratification, which would allow an additional quota of one million tonnes of grain corn and sorghum without customs duties. The association also expressed concerns over the EU's growing dependence on corn imports and the disregard for European environmental and health production standards by global corn production systems.

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Original content

In a note published on January 25, the AGPM discusses the impacts that the free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay) could have for the corn sector, and puts forward proposals “for a more coherent EU and better protected farmers”. Under discussion for almost twenty-five years, concluded in 2019, this agreement aimed at opening trade between the two zones by significantly reducing customs tariffs has not yet been ratified due to opposition from several countries, including France. It has also been particularly singled out in recent days, as the anger of the agricultural world explodes almost everywhere in France. The AGPM regrets that the European Commission "vigorously encourages the ratification of this agreement" providing for "the granting of an additional quota of one million tonnes of grain corn and sorghum without possible activation of customs duties, of a thousand tonnes of sweet corn and new quotas ...

Source: TerreNet