France farmers protest against low incomes and EU-Mercosur trade deal News
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France farmers protest against low incomes and EU-Mercosur trade deal

French farmers drove over 350 tractors in Paris on Tuesday as a sign of protest against low incomes and the EU-Mercosur partnership and trade agreement.

The protest was organized by the National Federation of Agricultural Workers’ Unions (FNSEA). The FNSEA organized Tuesday’s protests as a response to the Council’s greenlight for the signature of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA) and of the Interim Trade Agreement (iTA). Arnaud Rousseau, president of the FNSEA, criticized the EU-Mercosur agreement. Rousseau claimed the agreement “lacks vision for agriculture,” as farmers seek to ensure sovereignty over their food. Rousseau further stated, “If it were a good deal, we wouldn’t have taken 25 years to sign it.”

The EU has, on several occasions, held that the EU-Mercosur partnership will ensure a high level of protection for EU farmers. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, praised the council’s decision authorizing the signing of this pact by stating:

We have heard the concerns of our farmers and our agricultural sector and we have acted on them. This agreement contains robust safeguards to protect their livelihoods. We are also stepping up our actions in relation to import controls, because rules must be respected, also by importers.

In fact, in December 2025, the European Parliament and Council agreed on a series of safeguards to protect EU agriculture in case the partnership develops. The EMPA consists of political cooperation in several areas, including sustainability, climate action, digital transformation, human rights, and crisis management. The Trade Agreement, on the other hand, seeks to open the European market to lower tariffs in several sectors such as agriculture, automotive, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.

The demands of farmers are also key issues at the national level. French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu responded to the protests with four decisions. First, he requested French Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard to adopt an agricultural emergency bill. The bill will be centered on several priorities including water and means of production. The prime minister also announced his plans to relax existing nitrate rules and a budget plan for the revival of the agricultural sector.

The FNSEA responded to the letter of the prime minister by stating that these actions must still become concrete. Moreover, as the EU-Mercosur agreement is waiting for the consent of the European Parliament, protests are set to continue in Strasbourg on January 20, 2026.

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