US EditionFrench farmers target food imports as Mercosur protests continue
French farmers blocked major transport routes and ports, citing unfair competition from cheaper Mercosur imports and ongoing livestock disease issues, with protests set to continue.
- On Jan 12, farmers stopped lorries at Le Havre and on the A1 motorway to protest the EU-Mercosur deal, with Justin Lemaitre stating, 'It's above all to raise the alarm again and keep up the pressure over the Mercosur agreement.'
- Having campaigned for weeks, French farmers say the proposed EU-Mercosur trade deal and the contagious nodular dermatitis epidemic fuel their protests.
- Using tractors and barricades, protesters included about 150 farmers slowing port activity, Confédération paysanne, Modef and Basque union ELB occupying Maïsica grain site, Bayonne, and 30 tractors with 60 protesters barricading La Pallice, port of La Rochelle.
- Following late-night talks ending around 1.30am Monday, protesters agreed to clear a road, allowing traffic between France and Spain to resume amid pressure on the French government and opposition no-confidence motions.
- Beyond France, demonstrations have spread to Italy, Poland and Ireland, and the pact would cover more than 700 million consumers across Mercosur countries; supporters say it will boost exports and the European Commission plans to sign next weekend.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Nearly 500 tractors converged towards Paris on Tuesday 13 January 2026. Gathered before the National Assembly, farmers, including the Hauts-de-Frances, denounce the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, which they consider destructive for the French sector.
Hundreds of farmers joined the capital this Tuesday morning, denouncing the standards they consider too restrictive and opposing the Mercosur agreement, which is unfavourable to French agriculture.
France's farmers have been fighting the free trade agreement for months. Today, there is a big march in Paris again.
European Farmers Protest EU Trade Deal with South American Nations
(NAFB.com) – Dozens of French farmers drove tractors into central Paris and blocked major roads Thursday to protest a proposed European Union trade agreement with South American Mercosur nations, saying it threatens local agriculture and could undercut prices for beef, chicken and sugar. Organized by the Rural Coordination farming union, about 100 tractors entered the capital and gathered near landmarks including the Arc de Triomphe and the Nati…
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