Statement by AKEL MP Yiannakis Gavriel and Chair of the Parliamentary Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee following the adoption by the House of Representatives of a resolution on the EU-Mercosur agreement

 

29 January 2026

We welcome today’s decision by the majority of the House of Representatives — with the exception of the Democratic Rally DISY party — to adopt a resolution tabled on the initiative of AKEL on the adverse consequences that the planned EU trade agreement with the Mercosur countries will have on the agricultural sector in Cyprus and the rest of the EU, as well as the dangers posed to public health.

Much has already been said about the EU trade agreement with the Mercosur countries.

About the disastrous consequences it will have on the agricultural sector of the EU and Cyprus, from the import of agricultural products of dubious quality from the Mercosur countries.

The dangers to consumer health from the import of products produced to standards lower than those in force in the EU with regard to the use of dangerous pesticides.

With this resolution, the House of Representatives expresses its opposition and strong reservations about the agreement.

Among other things, we call on the European Commission and the Council to respect the European Parliament’s decision to refer the Agreement to the European Court of Justice and not to proceed with the provisional application of the Agreement before the Court’s decision.

This is the least our Parliament can do for an agreement that was drawn up without the farmers’ input, without the consent of the peoples, an agreement that serves the interests of powerful industrial interests and is being attempted to be implemented by hook or by crook even after the recent stop exerted by the European Parliament.