Paris farmers block ring road

For several days, farmers from various regions of France organized a massive traffic jam around Paris, blocking the O_2_5 ring road. The protest arose in opposition to the free trade agreement between the European Union and the countries of MERCOSUR. Farmers are demanding protection for European agriculture from cheap imports from Latin America. According to organizers, imports from South American countries could undermine domestic production. The protest has been supported by numerous public movements advocating for local production.

Context

The free trade agreement between the EU and Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, and Paraguay (MERCOSUR) has been discussed in Europe for several years, promising to expand the free market. Informal negotiations between the parties began in early 2020, but a final agreement had not been reached by 2024.