Farmers across France are on the road again, protesting the EU-Mercosur agreement and arguing that the deal would create unfair competition.
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00:00French farmers mobilized across the country to protest against the EU-Mercosur trade agreement.
00:08It is a deal that would increase South American agricultural import, which the European Commission
00:13hopes to sign before the end of the year.
00:16Two hundred tractors blocked a key traffic artery to Paris, with around 15 spending the
00:21night on the main road.
00:23In other places, farmers dumped soil on the ground and placed crosses on top of them,
00:28symbolizing the death of French agriculture.
00:47The farmers have already protested against the agreement in the past, and say it would
00:51threaten their livelihoods as the deal would gradually remove trade barriers, custom duties
00:56and standardized regulations.
01:00French President Emmanuel Macron has criticized the agreement, insisting that South American
01:05producers must meet EU standards.
01:09But France's hands might be tied, and many fear a partial agreement could be reached
01:14in the next few weeks, given the country does not hold veto power.