Repeated criticism of Spanish agricultural production, accused in France of
“
unfair competition
”
by farmers and part of the political class, is provoking anger in Spain, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez calling for more
“respect”
.
“Have you tried the so-called organic Spanish tomatoes? It’s inedible!”
.
Made on the BFMTV
news channel
, these remarks by the former presidential candidate and former French Minister of the Environment Ségolène Royal were broadcast on Spanish television on Thursday.
“Unbeatable” tomatoes according to Sánchez
The cause, according to Ségolène Royal: an imbalance in the application of European phytosanitary rules.
“Spanish organic is fake organic.
“Spanish fruits and vegetables do not meet French standards
,” she said, repeating a criticism regularly made during demonstrations by French farmers.
These statements caused astonishment in Spain.
“We cannot allow unfounded statements to ruin an entire sector
,” responded the Spanish professional association for organic production (Ecovalia) in a press release, recalling that the same rules applied in France and Spain.
Such comments are
“inappropriate”
, especially from a person who has had
“governmental responsibilities”
, underlined the Spanish Minister of Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera.
The People's Party (PP, right), the main opposition party, called for
"defending Spanish production"
.
Questioned after a European summit in Brussels, Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez quipped, saying that Ségolène Royal had
“not had the chance to taste Spanish tomatoes”
.
“I invite her to come to Spain (...) and she will see that the Spanish tomato is unbeatable
,” he insisted.
Unease in Spain
This
“tomato war”
, as some Spanish media have nicknamed it, has fueled unease in Spain since the start of the angry movement by French farmers.
The latter accuse Spain of flooding the French market with low-cost products using large quantities of phytosanitary products.
As part of the demonstrations in France, many trucks coming from Spain have in fact been targeted in recent days, particularly at the Boulou toll barrier, a few kilometers from the Spanish border - attacks filmed and relayed on the social networks.
“These days, road transport companies and their professional drivers are facing situations of extreme tension”
and
“unleashed violence”
, denounced the Spanish Confederation of Goods Transport (CETM) in a press release on Thursday. one of the leading organizations in the sector.
“Every day, our trucks are robbed and looted (...) The drivers are afraid to travel because the demonstrators threaten and insult them
,” insists the professional organization, which denounces the passivity of the French gendarmerie in the face of these multiple attacks.
Spain, “Europe’s vegetable garden”
From Brussels, Pedro Sánchez assured that he had discussed this subject with French President Emmanuel Macron.
“I think it is very important to respect peaceful demonstrations”
but we must
“firmly condemn any type of violent action”
, underlined the socialist leader, defending the quality of agriculture
“made in Spain”
.
“Spanish products do not benefit from any competitive advantage compared to other products on the
European internal market,” he insisted, recalling that
“the same environmental rules”
applied
“in France, in Spain , in Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands and other
EU countries.
These tensions did not prevent the three main agricultural unions (Asaja, Coag and UPA) from announcing on Tuesday that they were joining the angry movement of European farmers, justified according to them in view of the
“stifling bureaucracy generated by European regulations »
.
Sometimes nicknamed the
“vegetable garden of Europe”
, Spain is the leading European exporter of fruits and vegetables.
The Spanish agricultural sector - one of the largest consumers of phytosanitary products in Europe - is nevertheless in difficulty, mainly due to the drought which has been affecting the country for three years.