2024-03-21 05:00:09
The agricultural anger that was expressed at the start of the year had many reasons. Among these, free trade agreements were prominent. With the discussion opening Thursday, March 21, in the Senate, on the ratification of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a trade agreement negotiated between Europe and Canada, the debate is starting again with vigor.
For cattle breeders, the outcome of this debate, described as decisive, must be unequivocal. « This agreement is the symbol of Europe’s lack of ambition for its livestock farming, which it subjects to unfair competition from meats prohibited from being produced on its territory! At a time when breeders are demanding a clear direction for their production, senators can express their support for French family cattle breeding by opposing this agreement! All breeders invite them to do so”declares the National Bovine Federation (FNB), specialized branch of the National Federation of Farmers’ Unions (FNSEA).
In their sights, Canadian farms which give pride of place to growth activators based on antibiotics and animal meals to feed the herds. However, in the agreement negotiated between Canada and Europe, a quota of 65,000 tonnes of Canadian beef is provided for without customs duties. “The European Commission did not take the precaution of specifying that this tonnage corresponded to whole carcasses. Canadians can only send sirloins, the most prized pieces, which would further destabilize the market. This could represent 17% of the European sirloin market »worries Patrick Bénézit, president of the FNB.
He refutes the idea that this trade agreement benefits from “mirror measures” capable of requiring Canadian breeders to follow practices identical to those in force in Europe. These “mirror measures or clauses” are intended to reduce distortions of competition linked to differences in environmental, health or animal welfare standards. A European regulation aimed at banning imports of meat produced with the use of antibiotics as growth promoters was published at the end of January. But its application is not planned before 2026, and breeders consider it ineffective. It is, in fact, based on a simple self-declaration approach and simply provides certificate models that veterinarians must complete. In addition, the implementing act listing the approved third countries is missing.
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