Thousands of farmers are protesting in Brussels against the EU-Mercosur agreement, fearing unfair competition from Latin America.

On Thursday, thousands of farmers took to the streets of Brussels with their tractors to protest against the EU-Mercosur agreement, which facilitates exports from Latin American countries. Over 10,000 demonstrators are expected to participate in the protest, which started at noon. Farmers oppose this agreement due to concerns about unfair competition generated by the cheaper products of agro-food giants from Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia. They also express their concern about the weaker protection that the agreement offers.

The French President, Emmanuel Macron, stated that the agreement cannot be signed under the current conditions, emphasizing the importance of protecting the interests of local producers. The proposed agreement would gradually eliminate tariffs on most goods between the EU and Mercosur countries over a period of 15 years.