The Prime Minister opened fire Michel Barnierwith a working visit last week to Brussels with the sole objective of changing mentalities Ursula von der Leyen: “France opposes the conclusion of this agreement,” he told her. The offensive was continued this Monday by the foreign ministers, Jean-Noel Barrotand agriculture, Annie Genèverd. “We are trying to form a blocking minority on this agreement, which is not a good agreement,” announced the second. “This agreement is unacceptable,” Barrot also insisted in the Belgian capital.
In recent days, Emmanuel Macron deployed all its troops in a bid to overturn the free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur -block formed by Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay-, right in the middle final part of the negotiations. An agreement that has been in negotiation for 24 years and which counts among its greatest defenders: Pedro Sanchez and the President of the Commission herself. The French president’s exaggeration actually hides the fact that Paris this time finds itself in a position of weakness and isolation within the EU.
The free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur – which would create a vast market of 780 million people and would allow Community businesses to save 4 billion euros per year in tariffsaccording to data from Brussels – enjoys the support of the majority of member states, starting with Germany. It is also supported by the European employers’ association BusinessEurope: “This will contribute to economic growth and job creation.”
The pact with Mercosur It was temporarily closed in June 2019but has since run aground again. To address the concerns of both parties, Brussels intends to introduce an additional chapter on sustainability (which would address issues such as combating deforestation and climate change).
With France, The main opponents of the agreement with the Latin American bloc are agricultural associations across the continent.. The Spanish ASAJA maintains that the agreement is “incompatible with the European Green Deal” and will particularly harm the citrus sector, of which Spain is the main producer at European level. In recent months, European tractor drivers have demonstrated several times in Brussels against the agreement. And they are considering the creation of a “compensation fund” for affected farmers, as Von der Leyen reportedly plans to do.
Ursula von der Leyen and Lula da Silva, during the G20 in Rio
“Our firmness is due to the fact that we do not believe in the pre-agreement (of 2019), as negotiated. Firstly because it comes from very far away. Moreover, it does not take into account all the developments that we manufactured in our own markets, it would be very bad for its reindustrialization and for us, it would be very bad for our agriculture,” Macron said this weekend in Buenos Aires after his meeting with the president. . Javier Milei.
“We cannot ask our farmers in Europe to change their practices, to do without certain phytosanitary products, to have what makes us proud, quality agriculture, and at the same time open our market to massive imports of products that do not meet the same criteria“, argues the French president. The Paris government is negotiating against time with the Netherlands, Italy or Poland to constitute this blocking minority.
For the Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Luis PlanasFrench concerns are not at all justified. “There is a certain mythology around Mercosur which does not seem to me adapted to the reality of the agreement nor to the moment in which we live,” Planas said in Brussels, where he participated in the EU Agriculture Council.
“Is the EU interested in closing in on itself at the moment? Or is it interested, in the geopolitical context we are experiencing (and particularly after the North American elections), in expanding the network of our trade agreements with third countries to maintain our economic and commercial influence? I think the answer is very clear. Of course, Spain is very clear about this. From the beginning”, specifies the Minister of Agriculture.
The Minister of Agriculture, Luis Planas, during this Monday’s meeting in Brussels
The geopolitical argument has also been made by Ursula von der Leyen to justify the urgency of concluding the pact. “A free trade agreement with Mercosur would create a market of more than 700 million people, which represents a huge opportunity for businesses, but also for citizens. The figures show how intense trade between our two regions already is.“, he explained in an interview with Brazilian television Globo.
“But there is also a political dimension which is also important because we have the same ideas, we share the same values, we protect multilateralism in our worldFor example. So this would send a powerful message from both regions to support each other. in these difficult times”says Von der Leyen, who was personally involved in negotiations with the leaders of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.
The President of the Commission made these statements just before the start of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, attended by Macron and Sánchez. Brussels excludes that the agreement with Mercosur could be concluded during this meeting. “As we all know, the devil is in the details. The last stretch is the most important, but also the most difficult“, justifies Von der Leyen. The last opportunity will be during the Mercosur summit which will be held in Uruguay on December 5 and 6. By then, we will know whether Macron’s efforts to overturn the agreement succeed or not.
