{"id":5869,"date":"2025-12-18T17:13:47","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T17:13:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=5869"},"modified":"2025-12-18T17:13:47","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T17:13:47","slug":"angry-farmers-block-brussels-roads-with-tractors-over-mercosur-trade-deal-european-union-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=5869","title":{"rendered":"Angry farmers block Brussels roads with tractors over Mercosur trade deal | European Union News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p class=\"article__subhead\"><em>Thousands protest as EU leaders clash over trade pact farmers fear will flood Europe with cheaper South American goods.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-dates\">\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Published On 18 Dec 2025<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">18 Dec 2025<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-share\" data-testid=\"rich-share\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__button-wrapper\"><button class=\"rich-share__button row\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><\/p>\n<p>Click here to share on social media<\/p>\n<p><svg class=\"icon icon--share2 icon--primary icon--16 \" viewbox=\"0 0 20 16\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><title>share2<\/title><path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.688 9.048c-.659 0-1.252.282-1.673.733l-4.92-2.45c.016-.115.028-.232.028-.352 0-.117-.011-.23-.027-.343l4.913-2.423a2.285 2.285 0 0 0 1.68.739C12.964 4.952 14 3.899 14 2.6 14 1.302 12.965.25 11.688.25S9.377 1.302 9.377 2.601c0 .117.01.23.027.343L4.49 5.367a2.285 2.285 0 0 0-1.68-.739C1.536 4.628.5 5.681.5 6.979c0 1.299 1.035 2.35 2.312 2.35.659 0 1.252-.281 1.673-.731l4.92 2.45a2.357 2.357 0 0 0-.029.351c0 1.299 1.035 2.351 2.312 2.351S14 12.698 14 11.399s-1.035-2.35-2.312-2.35Z\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"rich-share__social-text\">Share<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\">\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Hundreds of tractors have clogged the streets of Brussels as farmers converged on the Belgian capital to protest against the contentious trade agreement between the European Union and South American nations they say will destroy their livelihoods.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The demonstrations erupted on Thursday as EU leaders gathered for a summit where the fate of the Mercosur deal hung in the balance. More than 150 tractors blocked central Brussels, with an estimated 10,000 protesters expected in the European quarter, according to farm lobby Copa-Cogeca.<\/p>\n<section class=\"more-on\">\n<h2 class=\"more-on__heading\">Recommended Stories<!-- --> <\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list of 2 items<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">end of list<\/span><\/section>\n<p>It made for a twin-tracked day of febrile tension outside and inside at the EU summit as leaders were perhaps more focused on a vote to determine whether they are able to use nearly $200bn in frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine over the next two years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Outside the gilded halls on the streets, farmers hurled potatoes and eggs at police, set off fireworks and firecrackers, and brought traffic to a standstill.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Authorities responded with tear gas and water cannon, setting up roadblocks and closing tunnels around the city. One tractor displayed a sign reading: \u201cWhy import sugar from the other side of the world when we produce the best right here?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re here to say no to Mercosur,\u201d Belgian dairy farmer Maxime Mabille said, accusing European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen of trying to \u201cforce the deal through\u201d like \u201cEurope has become a dictatorship\u201d.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4182390\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4182390\" style=\"width:770px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-arc-image-770 wp-image-4182390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/2025-12-18T130716Z_1670417621_RC21JIAYBKH5_RTRMADP_3_EU-SUMMIT-FARMERS-PROTEST-1766063282.jpg?w=770&amp;resize=770%2C512&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"A protester throws an object, as farmers protest against the EU-Mercosur free-trade deal between the European Union and the South American countries of Mercosur, on the day of a European Union leaders' summit, in Brussels, Belgium, December 18, 2025. REUTERS\/Yves Herman\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4182390\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A protester throws an object, as farmers protest against the EU-Mercosur free-trade deal in Brussels, Belgium [Yves Herman\/Reuters]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Protesters fear an influx of cheaper agricultural products from Brazil and neighbouring countries would undercut European producers. Their concerns centre on beef, sugar, rice, honey and soya beans from South American competitors facing less stringent regulations, particularly on pesticides banned in the EU.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">\u201cWe\u2019ve been protesting since 2024 in France, in Belgium and elsewhere,\u201d said Florian Poncelet of Belgian farm union FJA. \u201cWe\u2019d like to be finally listened to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">France and Italy now lead opposition to the deal, with President Emmanuel Macron declaring that \u201cwe are not ready\u201d and the agreement \u201ccannot be signed\u201d in its current form.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">France has coordinated with Poland, Belgium, Austria and Ireland to force a postponement, giving critics sufficient votes within the European Council to potentially block the pact.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">However, Germany and Spain are pushing hard for approval. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that decisions \u201cmust be made now\u201d if the EU wants to \u201cremain credible in global trade policy\u201d, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez argued the deal would give Europe \u201cgeo-economic and geopolitical weight\u201d against adversaries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The agreement, 25 years in the making, would create the world\u2019s largest free-trade area covering 780 million people and a quarter of global gross domestic product (GDP).<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Supporters say it offers a counterweight to China and would boost European exports of vehicles, machinery and wines amid rising US tariffs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Despite provisional safeguards negotiated on Wednesday to cap sensitive imports, opposition has intensified. Von der Leyen remains determined to travel to Brazil this weekend to sign the deal, but needs backing from at least two-thirds of EU nations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Brazil\u2019s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued an ultimatum on Wednesday, warning that Saturday represents a \u201cnow or never\u201d moment, adding that \u201cBrazil won\u2019t make any more agreements while I\u2019m president\u201d if the deal fails.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thousands protest as EU leaders clash over trade pact farmers fear will flood Europe with cheaper South American goods. Published On 18 Dec 202518 Dec 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Hundreds of tractors have clogged the streets of Brussels as farmers converged on the Belgian capital to protest against the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5870,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5869","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latin-america-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5869","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5869"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5869\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5870"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5869"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5869"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5869"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}