Subscribe here: [ Ссылка ] The free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, announced on Friday, December 6, in Montevideo, should strengthen the power of the Brazilian agricultural sector, but could be bad and even “predatory” for the national industry. This is the analysis of Gilberto Maringoni, a political scientist and professor of International Relations at the Federal University of the ABC.

“It’s still not clear how a series of points that Brazil—from Lula and Dilma’s first terms in office—was very unhappy and worried about will be dealt with, which is government purchases and predatory action on industry, what barriers will be put in place,” Maringoni told Brasil de Fato after Friday’s announcement.

“Germany is going to increase its exports, especially of cars, putting the industry here in serious trouble. If these cars arrive at a lower price level—due to the productivity of German industry—there is no reason for Brazil to have an automobile industry, to negotiate with China to bring new industries here,” he explains.

European organizations and left-wing activists believe that the project will accelerate deforestation in the Amazon and worsen the climate crisis by increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Greenpeace calls it a “disastrous” text for the environment and La Via Campesina accuses the agreement of violating countries’ sovereignty.

In March, rural struggle movements articulated in La Via Campesina repudiated the agreement in a communiqué, in which they called on Lula to “listen to the cries of the peoples of the countryside, waters and forests and put an end to the ongoing negotiations and make room for the construction of a popular national development project for Brazil.”

“The agreement on the table represents a step backwards for Brazil and the Mercosur countries in terms of socio-economic development, as well as a frontal attack on the sovereignty of our countries,” the statement said. The grassroots movements point out that the agreement “was rejected more than 20 years ago” and the current text, which will be taken up again in 2019, represents “the essence of Bolsonaro’s DNA without any commitment to the development of our country.”

“The agreement takes on neo-colonial characteristics in its conception and threatens, in its terms, our peoples and territories, threatens peasant agriculture, traditional communities and hands over our common goods to the interests of international capital, thus consolidating the agro-export character of our economy, which is basically to continue exporting raw materials to supply the demands of European countries in exchange for industrialized products.”

The deregulation of markets, free trade agreements and, in particular, the negotiation of the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur are the main causes of the serious crisis facing European farmers, according to La Via Campesina.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that Rome will not support the EU-Mercosur agreement without strong safeguards for EU farmers. The Italian government emphasizes the strategic importance of relationships with the South American bloc but insists on protection for the agricultural sector.

Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, announced the end of negotiations between the EU and the Mercosur bloc, which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia. The agreement involves free trade, against which governments and farmers from countries including Poland and France are protesting.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni declared that Italy would withhold support for the free trade agreement with Mercosur countries unless strong safeguards for EU farmers are included, a statement made before the announcement by the EU Commission President.

Italy has aligned with countries such as France and Poland in opposing the agreement in its current form.

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