The European Commission The ratification process of the Commercial Agreement with Mercosur countrieswhich faces the reluctance of France and will have to be approved by the 27 countries of the European block and Parliament.
The European executive validated the Commercial Agreement with the South American Block and promised “solid” guarantees to protect the agricultural sectorvery critical of the pact.
The adoption by the European commissioners is the first step before submitting this free trade agreement to the Member States and the MEPs in the coming months.
According to a European source, Brussels wants to act quickly and hopes to reach an agreement with the twenty -seven Before ending 2025while Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva occupies the rotary presidency of Mercosur.
This agreement must among others that the European Union export more cars, machinery and alcoholic beverages to Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.
In return, it would facilitate the entry of meat, sugar, rice, honey or Latin American soy, with the risk of weakening some European agricultural sectors.
For the president of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen“This is a beneficial agreement for all parties, with significant advantages for consumers and companies” of both continents.
However, since negotiations concluded in December, European farmers unions have been very critical.
“The fight continues,” the main French agricultural union (Fensea), on a call to President Emmanuel Macron.
France has reiterated its opposition to that treaty project, which considers a threat to its production of cattle, birds, sugar and biofuelwhile demanding supplementary protection measures.
The ratification process coincides with the political storm in France, where the Government could fall on Monday if the Prime Minister, François Bayrou, does not exceed a motion of trust.
French producers warn possible betrayal
To reassure the French government, Brussels plans to complete the agreement with a “legal text” that reinforces safeguard measures For “sensitive European products”, a gesture that was well received by Paris.
France said Wednesday that the commission “listened to the reservations” of Paris but warned that they will now analyze that their claims are well included and that they are legally viable.
After this gesture, the Commission urges 27 to be approved “quickly” this agreement. “There is no reason to wait,” said a senior European official.
But in France, both the opposition of the extreme right and the employer of the bovine sector denounced a “betrayal” If the government accepts the agreement, while the radical left called a “general mobilization” against the treaty.
The agreement with Mercosur has numerous supporters in Europe, such as Germany, which seeks new markets for its companies, especially from the return of Donald Trump to the White House and the imposition of tariffs on European products that enter the United States.
This agreement is an “excellent opportunity” for European competitiveness, the president of the European Council, António Costa, congratulated.
According to Brussels, the agreement with Mercosur would allow European exporters to save more than 4,000 million euros (4.6 billion dollars) in tariffs per year in Latin America.
The agreement has two parties, one policy and one commercial, and France cannot block only the commercial part.
If I wanted to block the ratification, you should gather a “Locking minority”that is, at least four states that represent at least 35% of the population of the European Union.
