The main farming organizations in the Valencia region have expressed concern over the European Council's approval of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, which was approved by a qualified majority despite opposition from several member states. Both La Unió Llauradora i Ramadera and the Valencian Farmers' Association (AVA-ASAJA) agree on the treaty's risks to the primary sector, though they emphasize different aspects of the process and its potential impacts.
La Unió Llauradora i Ramadera criticizes the agreement for moving forward without ensuring meaningful protection for Valencian farmers and livestock producers. The organization regrets that Spain voted in favor of the treaty, unlike countries such as France, Ireland, Hungary, or Poland, and believes that this stance leaves the Valencian countryside in a clearly vulnerable position. In its view, agriculture is once again being used as a bargaining chip in European trade negotiations.
La Unió questions the actual validity of the safeguards announced by Brussels and warns that, without clear commitments from the Mercosur countries, these clauses risk remaining an "empty promise." It recalls that, in practice, safeguard measures for fresh produce are often triggered after the damage has already happened. It also warns that the agreement allows the entry of products that do not meet the same health, environmental, and animal-welfare standards as those imposed on European producers, thereby creating unfair competition.
The organization states that, based on its own research, Spain's agricultural trade deficit with Mercosur is especially pronounced in the most sensitive products. Notably, rice, citrus, and livestock sectors are heavily affected. They caution that further tariff reductions could worsen the effects on Valencian farms.
AVA-ASAJA has expressed its "deep concern" after learning that COREPER II has authorized both the signing of the agreement and a reduction of the threshold for activating agricultural safeguards to 5%. Although it considers this last point a technical advance, the organization warns that it will be insufficient unless it is implemented automatically, quickly, and supported by effective border controls.
Cristóbal Aguado, president of AVA-ASAJA, criticizes the agreement for promoting unfair competition by failing to require reciprocity for South American imports. He warns that this could threaten the viability of Valencian growers and livestock farmers, and affect consumers as well. Similarly, ASAJA Nacional emphasizes support for international trade but insists on fair conditions regarding health, sustainability, and animal welfare.
AVA-ASAJA also emphasizes that the low level of border controls casts doubt on the effectiveness of the safeguards and believes the agreement could threaten key sectors such as livestock, rice, citrus, and beekeeping.
Both organizations emphasize that the agreement must still be ratified by the European Parliament, a step they consider crucial. In this context, they declare they will intensify their protests and political efforts to demand mandatory mirror clauses, genuine controls, and effective protection of the European agricultural model, though each will pursue these goals through its own methods and strategies.
Source: La Unió and Ava-Asaja
