Stop the Mercosur Agreement: Sign the referendum now!
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The Swiss Parliament has approved the free trade agreement with the Mercosur states of Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina. This threatens to lead to even more meat imports from countries where animals are kept in conditions that would not be acceptable in Switzerland. Together with the Alliance Against Rainforest Deforestation, we are supporting the referendum. Please help by signing the petition to stop this agreement.
Our investigations at 21 cattle feedlots in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay reveal the appalling conditions under which animals are kept in Mercosur countries. Between August 2025 and March 2026, our field team documented sick and injured animals, a lack of shade, contaminated drinking water and cattle left standing deep in mud for days on end following rainfall.
At some of these so-called feedlots, up to 80,000 animals are fattened at the same time. The cattle are fed large quantities of concentrated feed so that they gain weight as quickly as possible. The documented abuses reveal what may lie behind supposedly high-quality beef from South America.
What is particularly problematic is that meat from such farms is also imported into Switzerland. Swiss retailers stock such products.
More free trade without binding animal welfare standards
Under the Mercosur Agreement, even more of this type of meat could enter Switzerland in future. The agreement provides for additional import opportunities for certain agricultural products, including beef.
Switzerland could import an additional 3,000 tonnes duty-free each year under the agreement. However, the agreement completely lacks binding animal welfare standards or rules on the preservation of the rainforest or against human trafficking. The agreement thus prioritises economic interests over the protection of animals, the environment and human rights.
Every signature counts now
Parliament has approved the Mercosur Agreement. But the Swiss people should have the final say. That is why, together with the Alliance Against Rainforest Deforestation and supporters from the political sphere, we have launched a referendum.
At least 50,000 valid signatures must be collected by 21 January 2027 to enable a referendum.
Please help us achieve this goal! By signing, you are supporting the call for the public to have a say on the Mercosur Agreement. Together, we can take a stand against a trade policy where animals and the environment bear the cost.
(Signatures are only valid on paper. You can order signature sheets via the referendum website.)
Thank you very much for your support!