Today, Kristjan Bragason presented EFFAT’s stance at the European Economic and Social Committee’s session on the Strategic Dialogue on Agriculture, highlighting the centrality of sustainability and equitable working conditions across the agri-food value chain. EFFAT underscored that true sustainability rests on ensuring safe, appealing work environments and integrating social partners into agricultural policy-making. Such measures, they argued, are essential to fostering a resilient and attractive sector.
However, EFFAT voiced strong concerns about the Mercosur agreement during the same session.
With EU leaders pushing to finalize the deal before year-end, EFFAT expressed firm opposition, arguing that the agreement directly contradicts EU commitments to sustainability, trade fairness, and a Just Transition. EFFAT warned that the deal could lead to “social dumping” and unfair competition, undermining the EU’s own labor and environmental standards.
Deputy General Secretary Enrico Somaglia joined La Via Campesina in public protests against the Mercosur deal. The message was unified: without coherent trade policies aligned with sustainability and fair labor standards, the EU risks eroding its own environmental protections and labor rights. EFFAT emphasized the urgent need for policy coherence to ensure trade agreements align with the EU’s broader goals of sustainability and social fairness.
