Trade association reaffirms no to EU-Mercosur agreement in its current form & welcomes critical decision by the Netherlands

Free trade not at the expense of climate protection and European agriculture. Splitting the trade agreement would be questionable in terms of democratic policy.

Vienna (OTS) – The trade association is the only employers’ association in Austria to reject the planned EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement in its existing form and welcomes the critical decision on the pact in the Netherlands.

“The trade association is for free trade, but once morest non-transparent free trade agreements, which at the same time lead to a lowering of food standards due to a lack of implementation deficits in practice. We are well aware of the opportunities the Mercosur agreement offers for European industry. But there are very clear ones, especially in the food sector the risk that the domestic market will be flooded with dubious or non-EU-compliant products from South America. The first-class quality of European products must under no circumstances be counteracted.”says trade association executive director Rainer Will.

Greenpeace test proves pesticide contamination in fruits from Brazil

For example, unregulated free trade with South America would flood the European market with 100,000 tons of beef and other agricultural commodities. That would be a danger for the small-scale Austrian cattle farming. Therefore, correspondingly high standards and upper limits for imported meat as well as a commitment to the eco-social market economy are needed. The animal and plant protection standards under which South America is currently producing are not yet sufficient for this. More than 500 pesticides are approved in Brazil alone, including 150 that are banned in the EU. A recent test by Greenpeace has revealed that, for example, one fifth of all fruit comes from Brazil pesticides contained, which have long been banned in the EU.

“Free trade must not be implemented at the expense of climate protection and sustainable development. We therefore call on the EU Commission to refrain from splitting the Mercosur agreement, which is questionable from a democratic point of view. Instead, every reduction in trade barriers requires a requirement of fairness and transparent negotiations so that a broad public discussion can take place at all”so Rainer Willthe spokesman for Austrian trade.

Questions & contact:

trade association
Mag. Gerald Kühberger MA
press secretary
[phone] – 77
[e-mail]
www.handelsverband.at

Michaela Kröpfl, BA
Communications Managerin
[phone] – 80
[e-mail]
www.handelsverband.at