This 30-year-old agreement is about to take a decisive step in an atmosphere of extreme tension. This Saturday, January 17, 2026, the European Commission and the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) are scheduled to formalize their free trade agreement. The Portuguese government actively supports this event, much to the dismay of environmentalists and small local producers.
A Planned “Unfair Competition”
For the Portuguese Green Party, the approval given by the AD (Democratic Alliance) government is a stab in the back for the country’s food sovereignty. Their grievances are numerous: the agreement would open the floodgates to South American agricultural products (meat, cereals) that do not meet the European Union’s strict health and environmental standards.
EU-Mercosur Agreement: Portuguese Greens Raise the Alarm for Agricultural Sovereignty
“Our small and medium-sized producers are being penalized by allowing the import of goods treated with herbicides and pesticides banned in our country,” the party denounces. Beyond the health aspect, the already fragile economy of rural areas in the interior of Portugal could collapse under the pressure of this ultra-intensive agriculture.
Climate Sacrificed on the Altar of Trade
One of the most critical points raised by the Greens concerns the environmental inconsistency of the project. While Portugal boasts strong climate ambitions, this treaty would encourage long-distance trade and deforestation, particularly in the Amazon. The party describes the sustainability clauses referencing the Paris Agreement as “vague” and “ineffective.” For environmentalists, encouraging the import of high-carbon products directly contradicts commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The announcement of €45 billion in European subsidies to “buy” farmers’ silence is seen as an admission of the treaty’s dangerous nature.
An immediate electoral issue
On the eve of the January 18 elections, the Green Party is turning this issue into a true test of sovereignty. By calling for a vote for António Filipe, environmentalists hope to send a massive protest signal against the stranglehold of large corporations on natural resources and the common good.
Partido Ecologista Os Verdes
“Food sovereignty and the people are non-negotiable,” the movement insists. The battle is now shifting to the European Parliament, the last bulwark before the final ratification of an agreement that, according to its critics, threatens to irreversibly transform the Portuguese agricultural landscape.
The points of contention in the agreement (January 2026):
- Health: Use of pesticides and veterinary medicines banned in the EU.
- Social: Direct threat to family farming and smallholders in Portugal.
- Environmental: Increased emissions linked to transatlantic shipping and a greater risk of deforestation.
- Economic: Concessions to industrial lobbies at the expense of local employment.
