Thousands of Irish farmers are protesting against the EU’s trade deal with the South American bloc Mercosur, a day after EU states approved the treaty despite opposition from Ireland and France. The agreement is widely opposed by Irish farmers over fears it will result in an influx of an extra 99,000 tonnes of cheap beef from South America, disrupting Irish agriculture. The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), Ireland’s main farmers’ lobby group, called the result very disappointing, and said it would renew focus on securing a majority against the deal in the European parliament. “We expect Irish MEPs to stand behind the farming community and reject the Mercosur deal,” said the IFA president, Francie Gorman, in a statement. View image in fullscreen The protests followed similar actions on Friday in Poland, France and Belgium as the EU gave the green light to the trade deal.

Source: The Guardian January 10, 2026 15:55 UTC