A row has broken out between the European Commission and EU-wide food and farm federation Copa-Cogeca over its claims that a planned trade deal with South America’s Mercosur would destroy Europe’s beef sector.
Copa-Cogeca’s claims come ahead of negotiations this month between the EU and the Mercosur trade bloc over a trade deal, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Co-presidents Padraig Walshe and Paolo Bruni said: “If trade is fully liberalised between the two sides, it is estimated to result in losses to the EU beef sector of as much as EUR25bn (US$35bn).” Given that Mercosur already provides 90% of the EU’s beef imports, that would cause a “total collapse of the EU beef sector,” said the federation. Copa-Cogeca also claims a deal would “increase price volatility”.
The Commission’s trade spokesman John Clancy told just-food such allegations were “exaggerated”. He said the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy would help fund beef producers facing new Latin American competition “to cover the higher costs [partly] due to the high level of environmental and animal welfare standards that exist in the EU”.
He added that European consumers generally preferred Europe’s high-quality beef, made with higher welfare standards and lower carbon emissions, adding: “Rather than entirely prohibiting imports from regions with different standards, we should increase the awareness of consumers to these differences.”
See Also:
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData
