French farmers block ports over controversial EU trade deal (VIDEO)

January 12, 2026

TL;DR

French farmers are protesting the EU-Mercosur trade deal, blocking motorways and ports.
Protests are driven by concerns over unfair competition from Latin American meat producers who don't adhere to EU environmental rules.
Demonstrations include blocking oil facilities, grain sites, and ports handling food imports with tractors and machinery.
Farmers are calling themselves 'farmer customs officers' to inspect goods for compliance with EU standards.
Protests began over rules on Lumpy Skin Disease culls but expanded to include opposition to the Mercosur treaty.
Similar protests have occurred in Italy, Poland, and Ireland.
The Mercosur bloc includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
The EU-Mercosur agreement is set to form one of the world's largest free trade areas.
The treaty is scheduled to be signed in Paraguay on January 17.
The European Commission is accused of using a 'procedural trick' to bypass national parliaments' approval by splitting the agreement.
This allowed the deal to pass despite formal opposition from countries like France, Ireland, and Austria.

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