HUNDREDS of people protested in the streets of Warsaw at the weekend against free-trade agreements that the European Union is pursuing with the US and Canada.

A rally organised by non-governmental group Akcja Democracja, with backing from trade unions and several small opposition parties, forecast that they will harm Polish farmers and consumers.

The protesters argue that the TTIP and CETA deals will allow an influx of food from North America that will destroy local farming and allow entry of genetically modified food.

Rallying in front of the Agriculture Ministry before marching to the prime minister’s office, they urged the government to reject the deals.

EU trade ministers are scheduled to vote tomorrow on whether to approve CETA. If approved unanimously, the deal could be signed with Canada on October 27.

Environmental activists and trade unions across Europe have expressed fears that the deals could worsen local standards for food, work and industry.

However, tomorrow’s vote has to be unanimous and Belgium may prove a fly in the ointment in this respect.

The French-speaking Belgian region of Wallonia rejected the CETA deal on Friday and, under Belgium’s constitutional rules, one region can effectively veto such a deal for the whole country.

The EU claims that the CETA deal with Canada will improve trade, create jobs and remove almost all tariffs and custom duties while guaranteeing European standards on anything from food and health quality to trade-union rights.

CETA paves the way for TTIP, an even bigger deal being negotiated with the US.