The demonstration, organised by COPA-COGECA, brought together more than 10,000 farmers and around 2,000 tractors to press MEPs ahead of a key vote that could ask the Court of Justice of the European Union to review the legality of the agreement.
If approved, the request would allow the Court to assess whether the treaty complies with EU law, potentially delaying ratification by one to two years and opening the door to changes aimed at protecting European farmers and livestock producers.
A delegation from AVA-ASAJA joined the protest alongside Spain’s national farmers’ organisations, highlighting the expected impact of the deal on sensitive sectors such as livestock, rice, citrus and honey. The association argues that tariff concessions for South American imports would place European producers at a competitive disadvantage.
Speaking in Strasbourg, AVA-ASAJA technical director José Francisco Sales warned MEPs that farmers “will remember at the ballot box” how representatives vote on whether to seek a judicial review. He acknowledged the geopolitical relevance of the Mercosur agreement but insisted it should not be concluded “at the expense of European farmers and livestock producers”.
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From a market perspective, AVA-ASAJA citrus representative Alejandro Aparicio stressed the need for an objective impact assessment, strict reciprocity in production standards, and safeguard clauses that are automatic and effective. Imports, he argued, should complement EU production rather than displace it. “Without these guarantees, the deal should not be finalised,” he said, adding that the long-term consequences would also affect consumers and the environment.
The protest march started at Place Bordeaux and ended outside the Parliament building, where several sector leaders addressed the crowd. Among them, ASAJA president and COPA vice-president Pedro Barato underlined that the farmers’ demands are “legal and technical, not ideological”. He urged lawmakers to allow the Court to examine the agreement, warning that rushing the process without safeguards would undermine legal certainty, food safety and the EU’s quality-based agricultural model.
Beyond Mercosur, demonstrators also criticised the current direction of the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework and the future Common Agricultural Policy, which they say threaten the economic viability of farming across Europe.
Spanish farm unions ASAJA, COAG and UPA have announced further mobilisations between 26 and 30 January, with a major day of action planned for 29 January. AVA-ASAJA confirmed it will take part in a large demonstration in Valencia, calling on farmers, consumers and civil society groups to join in defence of Europe’s agricultural future and food self-sufficiency.
