European farmers' fears of South American links

Farming organisations across Europe are becoming increasingly concerned over the EU Commission's move to prioritise completion of the trade liberalising talks with Mercosur, the Latin American trading group.

The Commission sees a deal between Europe and the South American grouping as providing triple benefits for Europe: stronger economic growth, more jobs and increased consumer choice.

But Pekka Pesonen, secretary general of the Europe-wide farmers' union movement, Copa-Cogeca, saw such an agreement having a catastrophic impact on the EU agriculture sector especially in the beef and poultry sectors where South America has massive production.

"These imports do not have to comply with the same high standards as those in the EU and an agreement would lead to a substantial contraction in the EU agriculture sector, threatening 28 million jobs in EU rural areas," he said.

NFU Scotland are also very concerned that any deal between the two power blocks had to ensure there was no disparity on animal health grounds where as they state, "guarantees must be secured before any additional access for imported goods is agreed".

Union vice-president Nigel Miller said that while the overall aims of securing a deal between the EU and Mercosur were laudable, any jeopardising of Europe's ability to produce food or undermining food security by exposing the EU to new health risks was too high a price to pay.

"All the good work in reducing risk to animal and human populations would mean little if import standards did not protect this effort," he said.