Environmental activists climbed the Council building in Brussels to protest against a trade deal with South American countries. They hung banners there on Thursday saying “Stop EU-Mercosur”. With the action they also disrupted a meeting of EU trade ministers, who also had the controversial Mercosur agreement on the agenda.
The Greenpeace organization is behind the protest. The environmentalists said on Twitter: “This agreement is a disaster for nature, farmers and human rights.” In a broadcast, Greenpeace called on Austria’s Minister of Economic Affairs Martin Kocher (ÖVP) to speak out against the trade agreement.
Press of the Federation of Industrialists
The Federation of Industrialists (IV), on the other hand, is calling for an early conclusion of the trade agreement. “The Mercosur region is rich in raw materials and rare earths, which are increasingly needed for the green transformation,” said IV Secretary General Christoph Neumayer. “The current hesitation unnecessarily tests the valuable collaboration.”
Long, tough negotiations
Since 1999, the EU has been negotiating an agreement with Mercosur, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. But there are still problems, especially when it comes to protecting the Amazon rainforest, most of which has already been cleared for ranching and agriculture.
Source: Krone
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