Farmers and GroenLinks join forces on CETA

The growing popularity of agricultural themes is partly providing support from unexpected quarters due to the farmer's protests. GroenLinks announces a pact with the Dutch Dairy Farmers' Union (NMV) and the Dutch Arable Farming Union (NAV) to block the CETA free trade agreement with Canada.

The foremen of the 3 organizations announced the above in the Buitenhof program on Sunday 13 October. CETA is the treaty that the European Union wants to conclude with Canada. This treaty must be ratified by the House of Representatives and the Senate this autumn. GroenLinks, the NMV and NAV expect to be able to have enough political parties join the coalition to ensure that the deal ends up in the House of Representatives or the Senate, GroenLinks reports in a statement.

The organizations believe that CETA leads to unfair competition in the Dutch agricultural sector. This is because the European market is then opened to Canadian products that do not meet the same requirements (for example in the field of animal welfare or sustainability). In addition, the organizations object to the growing influence of the agri-food groups.

Special occasion coalition
"Thanks to this special coalition with farmers, I am convinced that we can unite left and right opposition and stop CETA. If we stop this free trade agreement, it will not only benefit the climate, animal welfare and the Dutch farmer," explains Jesse Klaver, the leader of GroenLinks. 

Keimpe van der Heide, a director of the NAV, reports: "If the Netherlands plays against Canada, we also think it is logical that both parties have the same rules. It is therefore not surprising that we as food producers also demand this. treaties is not yet the case, we must stop the free trade agreements."

Free trade gone too far
Hans Geurts, the former president of NMV, reports: "Politicians from left to right are talking about fair prices for farmers. However, treaties such as CETA play farmers off against each other worldwide, causing unfair competition and market distortion. This crazy free trade and fair prices don't mix."

Part of the deal has been in effect since the end of 2017, because part of the agreements fall under the competence of the European Union. Before the treaty can enter into full force, every European member state must approve the treaty. According to GroenLinks, if the Dutch parliament vetoes CETA, it is possible to get the entire treaty off the table.

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