Concerns raised in Cyprus over EU-Mercosur trade deal impacts on agriculture

On Tuesday, the European Parliament approved additional safeguards intended to protect the European agricultural sector following the EU-Mercosur trade liberalisation. However, Akel MEP Giorgos Georgiou and the Cypriot environmental movement have warned that these measures are insufficient to protect local producers, including the protected designation of origin (PDO) status for halloumi cheese. Georgiou stated that a proposal to refer the agreement to the European Court of Justice for a compatibility ruling was ignored by the European Council, potentially allowing implementation before a legal verdict. Concerns center on the influx of low-cost agricultural products and meat produced with pesticides banned in the EU. Critics argue the deal favors technology exports at the expense of local food security and the primary sector. A protest march involving farmers and political parties is scheduled for Saturday, February 14, in Nicosia, moving from Eleftherias Square to the presidential palace. European Council President Antonio Costa has reportedly pushed for the provisional implementation of the trade deal. The environmental movement described the agreement as colonial-style, warning it could lead to the destruction of the Cypriot countryside.