Decisive weeks in Brussels for the EU-Mercosur trade agreement
European farmers continue to strongly oppose the free-trade deal, which they consider a direct threat to such sectors including meat and sugar.
The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, has set a deadline of December 20 to get the go-ahead from member states to approve the region's free-trade agreement with Mercosur.
Approval of the deal is in doubt, with France leading the opposition.
The vote of the 27 EU member states might take place in early December, before the Mercosur summit on December 20 in Brazil, aa source from the commission told the AFP news agency.
European farmers continue to strongly oppose the free-trade deal, which they consider a direct threat to such sectors including meat and sugar.
France reiterated its objection to the treaty on Wednesday, saying it “continues to be unacceptable” in its current state, said government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon.
Brussels, however, considers everything necessary has been done to appease Paris – the main opponent to the pact with Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.
In September, the EU commission announced safeguarding measures reinforced for the most sensitive agricultural products and promised to intervene in case the market becomes destabilised.
The clause was approved on Wednesday. It will be “efficient for problem-solving,” said European Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen.
The free-trade agreement favours the export of cars, machinery, wines and spirits to Mercosur countries.
In exchange for that, it would facilitate the entry of South American meat, sugar, rice, honey and soy into Europe, which has sparked concern in the aforementioned sectors.
Unlike France, Germany and Spain have become staunch defenders of the agreement. Both countries wish to support European exporters at a time when the EU is going through economic difficulty.
Both Madrid and Berlin deem it essential to diversify trade alliances since US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs.
Spanish Agriculture minister Luis Planas said that the agreement with Mercosur was “moving forward and will be ratified.” “We hope it can come into effect early next year,” he stated.
France’s indecision is starting to irritate Brussels, it seems.
During a visit to Brazil, French President Emmanuel Macron showed optimism about the possibility of accepting the agreement.
Yet he took a step back shortly thereafter, after seeing the controversy his statements brought about among farmers and the country’s political class.
France has demanded measures to ensure that all pesticides prohibited in the EU are also banned in products from Mercosur countries. It also seeks more efficient controls to ensure that imported products meet European regulations.
In a letter addressed to Macron, professionals from the meat, cereal, ethanol, beetroot and sugar sectors asked for “a coalition of states” to block the agreement.
Yet Paris seems to have understood that it will be difficult to achieve this, since Italy now leans in favour.
The French government, for the time being, is ramping up its negotiations with Brussels in order to win concessions.
Yet the EU has no intention of modifying the agreement as is, despite the criticism.
Possible communications or correspondence to put recalcitrant countries, such as Poland and Hungary, at ease one last time are barely mentioned.
Even if the agreement gets the go-ahead from all 27 states, it will still have to go through a vote in the European Parliament, which may be tight.
“It won’t be easy. The far left and far right will vote” against the agreement and, in all other sides, “all French members and most Polish members will also oppose,” warned a parliamentary source.
The same source believes there are 300 potential opponents among the 720 Members of the European Parliament.
Nearly 150 Members, both right- and left-wing, have already requested the Parliament to appeal the agreement before European courts.
– TIMES/AFP