340+ organisations call on the EU to immediately halt trade negotiations with Brazil

Over 340 civil society organisations have called on the European Union to stop trade negotiations with the Mercosur bloc, citing a surge in human rights violations and environmental degradation in Brazil since the inauguration of President Jair Bolsonaro in January 2019. The signatories argue that the EU, as Brazil's second-largest trading partner, must use its leverage to demand an end to deforestation and the fulfillment of Paris Agreement commitments before proceeding with any trade deal.

• Civil society organisations demand the EU immediately stop free trade agreement negotiations with the Mercosur bloc, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, citing deteriorating environmental and human rights conditions in Brazil.
• Since January 2019, the administration of President Jair Bolsonaro has been linked to increased attacks on minorities, LGBTQ individuals, traditional communities, and Indigenous peoples, as well as threats to the democratic functioning of civil society.
• The Brazilian government has weakened environmental protections, including placing Indigenous land demarcation under the Agriculture Ministry and undermining the Forest Code to benefit cattle and soy agribusinesses.
• Deforestation in the Amazon reportedly increased by 54 percent in January 2019 compared to the same period in 2018.
• The letter notes that both the Foreign Affairs and Environment Ministries are led by individuals who deny global warming, leading to the removal of departments dedicated to climate change and casting doubt on Brazil's implementation of the Paris Agreement.
• The signatories argue the EU has a responsibility to act because it is Brazil's second-largest overall trading partner and a major importer of Brazilian beef and soy.
• The organisations call for the EU to guarantee that Brazilian products sold in the EU do not contribute to land grabbing, deforestation, or human rights violations, and to provide direct support to environmental defenders and Indigenous peoples.

APA

Jones, S. (2019). 340+ organisations call on the EU to immediately halt trade negotiations with Brazil. Mighty Earth. https://mightyearth.org/article/340-organisations-call-on-the-eu-to-immediately-halt-trade-negotiations-with-brazil/

Chicago

Jones, Sydney. 340+ organisations call on the EU to immediately halt trade negotiations with Brazil. Mighty Earth, 2019. https://mightyearth.org/article/340-organisations-call-on-the-eu-to-immediately-halt-trade-negotiations-with-brazil/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Jones |first1=Sydney |title=340+ organisations call on the EU to immediately halt trade negotiations with Brazil |publisher=Mighty Earth |date=27 August 2019 |url=https://mightyearth.org/article/340-organisations-call-on-the-eu-to-immediately-halt-trade-negotiations-with-brazil/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{jones2019340, author = {Jones, Sydney}, title = {{340+ organisations call on the EU to immediately halt trade negotiations with Brazil}}, publisher = {Mighty Earth}, year = {2019}, month = aug, url = {https://mightyearth.org/article/340-organisations-call-on-the-eu-to-immediately-halt-trade-negotiations-with-brazil/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }