EU–Mercosur Agreement – benefit or threat?

The EU–Mercosur trade deal has divided public opinion and politicians for years. On the one hand, opening the market to 260 million consumers from South America would mean huge opportunities for European exporters, especially in the automotive and technology industries. On the other hand, farmers warn of a flood of cheap meat and soybeans produced with pesticides banned in Europe. Critics even speak of “double standards” and a betrayal of European agriculture, while environmentalists warn that the agreement will accelerate the destruction of the Amazon. Free trade supporters counter that the EU economy cannot afford isolation. So is this deal a strategic opportunity, or an ecological and social trap?