19.12.2025 12:55
After the fierce protests organized by tens of thousands of farmers in Brussels, the signing of the free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur countries has been postponed for at least a month. Farmers argue that cheap agricultural products coming from South America will threaten local production in Europe, while the protests also overshadowed the EU Leaders' Summit.
The free trade negotiations between the European Union (EU) and the South American common market Mercosur, which have been ongoing for about 25 years, were postponed following fierce protests in Brussels involving tens of thousands of farmers. The visit planned by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa for the agreement to be signed in Brazil this weekend has been canceled.
THEY BLOCKED THE CAPITAL WITH TRACTORS
About 10,000 farmers from many European countries entered Brussels with their tractors, blocking highways and the city center. During the protests, hay bales and tires were burned, and potatoes and eggs were used for demonstrations. There were severe clashes between the police and farmers, resulting in injuries and arrests.
SUMMIT REMAINED IN THE SHADOW OF PROTESTS
The EU Leaders Summit, which convened on the same day, took place under the shadow of chaos in the streets of Brussels. Due to the protests, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived at the summit more than an hour late.
FARMERS SAT DOWN WITH THE COMMISSION AND COUNCIL
While the protests continued, leaders of COPA and COGECA, representing farmer organizations in Europe, met with Ursula von der Leyen, António Costa, and the relevant commissioner in the European Parliament. Farmer representatives emphasized that cheap agricultural imports from Mercosur countries would threaten local production in Europe.
"WE WANT ACTION, NOT WORDS"
After the meeting, von der Leyen and Costa shared messages of support for farmers on their social media accounts. However, these statements were deemed insufficient by farmer organizations. COPA-COGECA announced that they would not back down with the message, "Words must match actions."
ORBÁN'S HARSH CRITICISM OF EU LEADERSHIP
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán criticized the EU administration by sharing images from Brussels during the protests. Orbán reacted to the cuts in agricultural support and the transfer of resources to Ukraine.
AGREEMENT POSTPONED FOR AT LEAST 1 MONTH
Under increasing pressure, the European Commission announced that the signing process of the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement has been postponed for at least one month. It is also rumored that France, Poland, and Italy are against the agreement.
WHY ARE FARMERS AGAINST MERCOSUR?
The EU-Mercosur agreement aims to significantly reduce customs duties in a market that includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia, and to create a free trade area covering more than 700 million people. European farmers argue that cheap agricultural products coming from South America will create unfair competition and pose a risk of collapsing local agriculture.