French farmers besiege Paris, anger over Mercosur deal – Tractors at the Eiffel Tower

French farmers blocked major monuments in Paris on Thursday, protesting the extensive trade agreement the European Union is preparing to sign with South American countries, as well as other local issues. Farmers from the Coordination Rurale union had called for mobilizations in the capital, expressing their outrage over the free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American bloc Mercosur. They fear the deal will flood the country with cheap food imports, while also protesting the government's handling of a livestock disease affecting cattle. "We find ourselves between indignation and despair. We have a sense of abandonment, just as with Mercosur. We have been abandoned in favor of a space shuttle, an Airbus, or a car," Stéphane Pelletier, deputy president of the union in the Vienne department of central France, told Reuters. Farmer protests and the feeling of being sidelined for industrial interests dominate the current atmosphere.

Mercosur proceeds without France

The protest comes just days after the European Commission proposed making €45 billion in EU funds available to farmers earlier and agreed to reduce import duties on certain fertilizers in an attempt to win over countries hesitant to support Mercosur. The agreement is backed by nations such as Germany and Spain, while the Commission appears to have secured the support of Italy as well. This means it possesses the necessary votes to approve the trade deal with or without France's backing. The vote on the trade agreement is expected to take place on Friday.

Anger over cattle disease

According to France 24, farmers are also demanding an end to the mass culling of cows decided due to outbreaks of the highly contagious bovine lumpy skin disease. They consider the measure excessive and argue that vaccination should have been chosen instead. Dozens of tractors have parked on the banks of the Seine, beneath the Eiffel Tower, blocking several access points toward the city center from the ring road, such as in the Porte d’Auteuil area. Protesting farmers managed to reach the center of Paris despite the fact that French police had imposed a strict ban on the mobilizations.

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