The European Left will continue its opposition to the EU-Mercosur agreement, which it says threatens food quality and safety and undermines traditional Cypriot products, said MEP Georgios Georgiou during a press conference on Friday at the EU House in Nicosia.
Former EKA President Michalis Lytras announced new farmer protests scheduled for Saturday, 14 February, with a march from Eleftheria Square to the EU House and possibly the Presidential Palace. He described the agreement as “the death knell for the agricultural sector.”
Cypriot farmers and public interest
Georgiou stressed that the European Left and AKEL are not anti-European or sceptical of EU subsidies. They acknowledge the benefits but envision a Europe that prioritises citizens, youth, health, and the environment. “The negatives in many areas are numerous that we will not accept it,” he added.
He said amendments will be re-submitted in Strasbourg next week, while urging the Cypriot Presidency of the EU to form alliances with other affected countries to secure commitments for farmers in long-term EU budget negotiations.
Limited prospects for change
Georgiou warned that the agreement offers little room for major changes but emphasised that they will continue fighting to mitigate the damage. Responding to questions, he noted that a European Court ruling on the agreement’s legality could take 18–24 months, but the deal will be applied immediately, creating institutional precedents difficult to reverse.
Even if the Court rules against it, he said, the entire agreement would need renegotiation, though he did not appear optimistic.
Impact on traditional Cypriot products
Georgiou highlighted that other countries, such as Greece, had secured protections for traditional products – 21 in total – but Cyprus failed to protect even halloumi cheese. He added that Mercosur imports are often produced using pesticides banned in the EU, at lower cost, in regions with abundant water and farmland, making competition impossible for European and Cypriot producers.
“We say no to trade that calls environmental destruction and deregulation ‘development.’ We say no to a system that imports poverty and exports injustice. We reject an agreement that counts profits in tonnes but ignores the cost to our health and our children’s future, driving our farmers to extinction,” he said.
Health, environmental, and consumer concerns
Georgiou also questioned which Cypriots could afford high-quality products and what the public health impact would be if cheap, low-quality Mercosur goods dominate the market.
Christina Nikolaou, Head of the AKEL Environment Office, said the agreement violates EU environmental goals, including deforestation and emissions targets, undermining the European Green Deal – a contradiction, she added.
Consumer associations, the Laona Foundation, and beekeepers present at the press conference also voiced concerns about the agreement’s potential impacts.
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