French President Emmanuel Macron warned the European Commission that it is impossible to conclude negotiations for a trade agreement with Mercosur and one of his spokespersons added that the Government understands that the European Union will end these talks, which are currently hosted by Brazil. . Macron's announcement comes amid growing protests by French farmers, who complain, among other things, that a deal with Mercosur would allow cheap food imports that do not meet the European bloc's strict standards.
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The French president, Emmanuel Macron, insisted before the European Commission that it is impossible to conclude the negotiations for a trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc and his Government stated that it understands that the European Union (EU) has ended the ongoing talks in Brazil, Sources from his office reported this Monday, January 29.
This trade agreement, which took decades of negotiations, had a decisive point in 2019, when a political pact was reached between the European bloc and the Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and currently also Bolivia), but the agreement has not been endorsed for application.
“(Macron) has very firmly reiterated to the Commission the fact that it was impossible to conclude the talks under these conditions,” a French presidential adviser told reporters at a news conference ahead of Thursday's EU summit.
The advisor added that the EU finally understood that it was impossible to reach an agreement in this context and that the EU's talks with the Mercosur countries stopped.
“We understand that you have ordered your negotiators to end the ongoing talks session in Brazil.” and, in particular, cancel the visit of the vice president of the Commission scheduled for its conclusion,” the source highlighted.
The French Presidency recalled the “red lines” by which it rejects this agreement: the non-integration of the Paris agreements on climate change, the absence of conditions to avoid deforestation and the fact that there are no guarantees of reciprocity in terms of health and environmental rules for agricultural products imported into the EU from Mercosur.
The French announcement takes place amid growing protests by the country's farmers, who complain about rising costs and cheap imports and whose complaints are added to those made by that sector in other European countries, including Germany and Poland.
Farmers in France strongly oppose ongoing talks on a trade deal between the EU and Mercosu nationsr -Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay-, which, they say, would allow imports of cheap foods that do not comply with the strict requirements. block standards.
Brazil's Foreign Ministry has not issued a response to Macron's statements, but a ministry source stated that trade negotiations between Mercosur and the EU “are not carried out with individual countries or presidents, but between Mercosur and the EU.” European Comission”.
EU and Mercosur negotiators met in Brasilia for two days last week but reported “limited progress”, according to a diplomat involved in the talks, who was skeptical that the deal could be concluded before the EU ministerial meeting. World Trade Organization (WTO) next month.
The opposition of the French Government
On January 26, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal reaffirmed his country's opposition to the free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur, in the midst of the French farmers' revolt, which this Monday maintains the blockade of numerous roads and highways.
“As the President of the Republic (Emmanuel Macron) already announced, France opposes the signing of the Mercosur treaty. I say it loud and clear,” Attal said on Friday before a group of farmers on a livestock farm in the department of Alto Garonne (southern France).
For the French Prime Minister, these types of agreements “are a law of the jungle”, which ends up affecting French farmers.
The French Government's slamming of this agreement – which would thus be invalidated because the 27 parliaments of the EU Member States must endorse it – had already been announced in December at the COP28 Summit by Macron himself, who had alleged the lack of reciprocity. of environmental standards between Europe, considered the most demanding on the planet, and South America.
Read alsoFrance “opposes the signing” of the EU-Mercosur agreement
France's refusal comes days after the Mercosur foreign ministers, at a meeting in Asunción, took for granted the willingness of their countries to move forward in the negotiation of pending issues with the EU, with a view to finalizing the signing of a balanced agreement “as soon as possible”.
With EFE and Reuters
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