Spain: Agri-food cooperatives reject the EU-Australia agreement
The organization denounces that this pact once again places agriculture as a bargaining chip in European trade policy, by including concessions that it considers unacceptable in sensitive sectors such as beef, sheep, sugar and rice, which also add to the accumulated impact of recent agreements.
In a context marked by rising costs, inflation, and geopolitical uncertainty, these new trade openings exacerbate the situation for thousands of European farms, especially family farms. Spain, in particular, as the EU's leading sheep producer, would be one of the hardest hit. The sector is already under increasing pressure from imports, which have risen by 23% since 2021. The expansion of quotas to Australia—the world's largest exporter—which quadruples the current volume of 5,800 tons, could have a significant structural, economic, and social impact, accelerating farm closures.
Similarly, in beef, the new quotas increase Australian meat 's access to the European market ninefold, while in wine, the elimination of tariffs could benefit Australia in an already strained EU market.
Agri-food cooperatives emphasize that European producers, subject to demanding standards of quality, sustainability, animal welfare, and food safety, do not compete on a level playing field with countries with less stringent regulations. Therefore, they insist that trade agreements not jeopardize the production model or the viability of farms.
Finally, the organization calls on the Government to defend a firm position to avoid disproportionate concessions that compromise food sovereignty, the future of rural areas and strategic sectors of the country.
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