Press release
- More that thirty farmers from Via Campesina organizations across Europe and Latin America will meet this week in Madrid to discuss alternatives to the European Union’s aggressive trade policies.
- The European Union is eager to sign free-trade agreements under the Spanish presidency between the EU and MERCOSUR, Central America and Peru and Columbia.
Farmer’s organizations from both Latin American countries and Europe are united in their opposition to the talks: “These trade agreements serve the interests of transnational corporations, not the peoples of Europe and Latin America” says Javier Sanchez of the Spanish farmer’s union COAG, member of the International Coordinating Committee of La Via Campesina.
Agreements such as this are contrary to Food Sovereignty, and threaten the lives and livelihoods of thousands of people. We urgently need to put an end to existing negotiations between the EU and Latin America” he added.
The farmers from the European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC) and the Coordinadora Latin Americano de Organizaciones del Campo (CLOC) will meet over a number of days in Madrid and participate in the activities organized by “Enlazando Alternativas” before the beginning of the EU – Latin America summit on the 18th of May.
Via Campesina representatives from across Latin America and Europe will be active in the following events:
15th May – Enlazando Alternativas, Popular People’s Tribunal: Food Sovereignty, Climate Change and Gender and Women’s Rights (Maths Faculty UCM)
16th May – Demonstration and Assembly of Social Movements
18th May, 10.30am – Press Conference: “Free Trade Agreements: Profits for the few instead of People’s Food Sovereignty” – Hotel Jardín Metropolitano, Avda. de la Reina Victoria nº12, Madrid <M> Cuatro Caminos –
18th May – COAG – LVC Meeting on Free Trade Agreements in Madrid
In order to arrange an interview or for more information, please contact:
Fergal Anderson (EN, FR, ES) +34636636756
Ruben Villanueva (ES) +34629164612
