AVEC calls on the European Parliament to reject the EU-Mercosur agreement: ‘Sacrificing agriculture is non-negotiable’
Brussels, 9 January 2026 — AVEC, the Association of Poultry Processors and Poultry Trade in the EU, has strongly deplored today’s vote by EU Member States in favour of the EU-Mercosur agreement. Despite the intense political pressure exerted in recent weeks, several Member States chose to resist and maintained their opposition to this agreement. AVEC has wished to sincerely thank these countries for their stance and their efforts to defend European agricultural producers. Regrettably, this resistance was not sufficient to prevent the agreement’s approval at Council level.
AVEC has reiterated its firm position that the EU-Mercosur agreement will have significant and long-lasting consequences for the European poultry sector, particularly when considered in the context of the cumulative impact of existing and future trade agreements.
European producers comply with the world’s highest standards in food safety and animal welfare. Why compete on an uneven playing field?
Currently, more than 25% of chicken breast consumption in the EU comes from third countries. With the quotas provided for in the Mercosur agreement (180,000 tonnes), total imports would represent 9% of total poultry consumption in the EU, placing an unsustainable burden on EU producers, who are subject to the world’s highest standards in food safety, animal welfare, environmental protection, and social norms.
Now, all eyes are on the European Parliament. AVEC places its full trust in Members of the European Parliament to exercise their democratic responsibility and reject this unbalanced agreement, which neither guarantees fair competition nor adequate protection for sensitive agricultural sectors.
AVEC trusts that MEPs will reject an agreement that prioritises geopolitical interests over the survival of European agriculture.
In this context, AVEC also firmly hopes that the European Parliament will support the referral of the agreement to the Court of Justice of the European Union, in order to obtain legal clarity on its fundamental aspects.
Furthermore, any attempt to provisionally apply the agreement prior to a vote in the European Parliament would constitute a serious breach of democratic principles and would circumvent the European Union’s democratic approval process.
AVEC will now focus all its efforts on engaging with the European Parliament to clearly demonstrate the very negative consequences this agreement would have for EU poultry producers, rural employment, and the sustainability of European production. Our association remains committed to constructive dialogue with EU institutions, but cannot accept trade policies that sacrifice European agriculture for geopolitical or commercial convenience.
Further reading:
-. «Meat scandal raises doubts about agribusiness, a «pillar» of the Brazilian economy, says NYT». BBC Brasil. BBC. March 18, 2017.
-. «JBS and BRF, from «national champions» to suspects of selling expired meat». El País. March 18, 2017. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
-. EU-MERCOSUR Agreement impact on Poultry. Report by AVEC-COGAG. 20250624
-. Mercosur
-. AVEC
-. COGAC
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