Social media posts from Polish and French politicians have incorrectly tied a rejected shipment of Brazilian coffee in Poland to the recently provisionally applied EU-Mercosur trade agreement. The claims, amplified by right-wing commentators, suggest the deal allows contaminated agricultural products into Europe. However, official data and responses show the connection is baseless.
The Rejected Shipment and Political Claims
Poland's Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection Agency (IJHARS) announced on Facebook that it had blocked 63,000 kilograms of raw green coffee in Poznań. The shipment contained damaged beans and live pests, though inspectors did not specify the type of pests. Polish far-right MEP Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik and former French MEP Florian Philippot, founder of the Eurosceptic Patriots party, both linked the incident to the EU-Mercosur trade deal, which began provisional application on 1 May.
Zajączkowska-Hernik claimed the shipment exemplified the agreement "in practice," accusing it of "poisoning people for the sake of German economic interests." Philippot described the coffee as "worm-infested," despite no official confirmation of worms. Their posts were echoed by the Polish right-wing website wPolityce.
Green Coffee Already Entered Tariff-Free
Critics of the EU-Mercosur deal argue that reduced tariffs will flood Europe with substandard agricultural products. Yet green coffee—the raw, unroasted seeds of coffee cherries—has been imported into the EU tariff-free for years. According to UN Comtrade data, Brazil exported over 15 million kilograms of green coffee to Poland in 2024 alone. A 2011 International Coffee Organization report notes that non-decaffeinated green coffee enters the EU without tariffs, while processed coffee faces higher duties. A February 2026 USDA trade analysis confirms that green coffee beans, representing 97% of Brazil's coffee exports to the EU, already enjoy tariff-free access.
Brazil's ambassador to the EU, Pedro Miguel da Costa e Silva, dismissed the claims. "Green coffee already entered the EU under a zero tariff rate. Nothing changed," he told Euronews. He added that Brazil has exported green coffee to Europe since the 19th century.
Standard Inspection, Not Trade Deal
IJHARS confirmed to Euronews that the shipment underwent a standard commercial quality inspection under existing national rules. The agency did not say the shipment entered under preferential EU-Mercosur conditions, noting that customs matters fall under tax and customs authorities. IJHARS also stated that intercepting non-compliant food is routine: in 2025 alone, it issued 95 decisions blocking imported food shipments, affecting 121 batches from non-EU countries.
The false claims come amid broader debates about EU trade policy. The EU-Mercosur deal, which also includes Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia, has faced opposition from European farmers who fear cheaper agricultural imports. Meanwhile, the EU is pursuing other trade agreements, such as the recently updated deal with Mexico, as part of a strategy to diversify away from reliance on the US and China. As French Trade Minister has warned, Europe must use all tools to defend its trade order, but this incident shows how misinformation can distort public debate.
The episode underscores the importance of fact-checking in trade discussions. While the EU-Mercosur agreement remains controversial, linking it to a routine food safety inspection in Poland is misleading. Green coffee's tariff-free status predates the deal, and the shipment was halted under standard procedures, not because of any new trade rules.
