The protesters said they would not block roads but would demonstrate nearby in highly visible locations such as bridges and overpasses, aiming to avoid disrupting holiday travel ahead of New Year’s Eve.
“New Year’s Eve is coming up, there is pressure not to make life difficult for people but simply to be seen, so we will stand with banners,” organiser Stanislaw Barna told Polish Radio.
Farmers say food imported from Latin America would be produced under lower standards than in Poland, particularly with regard to the use of crop protection chemicals. Barna said around two litres of active substances are used per hectare in Poland, compared with between 12 and 14 litres in South American countries.
According to media reports, the agreement with Mercosur – a South American trade bloc that includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay – is due to be signed on Jan 12. The deal would create a free trade area between the EU and Mercosur by removing tariffs and trade barriers.
The agreement is expected to include so-called safeguard clauses that could be activated to prevent excessive imports from Mercosur countries, but Polish farmers say these measures will not be sufficient to protect domestic producers.
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Source: PAP