The Brazilian government works with the expectation that the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union (EU) will be signed on the 20th, during the 67th Summit of Mercosur and Associated States. According to Itamaraty, there are, however, concerns regarding the safeguards that must be presented by the European bloc.
“Our expectation is to sign the agreement on Saturday, but, in fact, the safeguards are a cause for concern”, said, this Monday (15), the secretary of Latin America and the Caribbean, Gisela Padovan, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE).
The statement was made during a press conference to detail the participation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the summit of heads of state, on the 20th in Foz do Iguaçu (PR). The meeting is expected to be attended by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
Mercosur
On the 19th, one day before the meeting of heads of state, a preliminary meeting of the bloc is planned, between ministers from the economic areas.
The meetings of authorities will address topics such as the entry of new members into the bloc, as well as issues of common interest, such as problems caused by climate change.
According to Gisela Padovan, Brazil is working to include Bolivia as a State Party to Mercosur. “Several meetings have been held with this objective, so that [a Bolívia] get in quick [no bloco]”, said the secretary, considering that, for this, it is necessary to check whether some prerequisites have already been met by that country.
There are also movements seeking to bring Mercosur closer to countries in Central America and the Caribbean. “Talks with the Dominican Republic are progressing”, said the secretary.
Padovan reiterated that Brazil has always fought to integrate the automotive and sugar sectors into the Mercosur Common External Tariff (TEC), moving away from the current exceptions and bilateral agreements (such as Brazil-Argentina), to create a gradual common policy.
The secretary recalled that, in this edition, the meeting will also feature a social summit. “It will be an opportunity for civil society entities to express their issues directly with the heads of state,” said Padovan.
Safeguards
The safeguards, mentioned in a tone of concern by the secretary, are being created by the European parliament as a way of protecting the European market for agricultural products from Mercosur – in many cases with better competitive conditions than products from the old continent.
France, the largest beef producer in the European Union, is the country that has created the most difficulties for the agreement between the two blocs. On some occasions, French representatives classified the agreement as “unacceptable”, arguing that it does not take into account environmental requirements in agricultural and industrial production.
European farmers have protested several times, saying the deal would lead to cheap imports of South American commodities, particularly beef, that do not meet the European bloc’s food safety and ecological standards.
On the Brazilian side, there are also concerns regarding sustainable practices that could be used by the European bloc as an excuse to apply measures to protect its market against products from countries outside the bloc.
Mercosur and the European Union have been negotiating this free trade agreement for 26 years. During the meeting with the press, the Itamaraty secretary recalled that the European Union is a market of approximately 720 million people, with a GDP of US$ 22 trillion.
History
The European Union and the bloc formed by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay completed negotiations on the agreement last December, around 25 years after the talks began. Two texts will be signed: the first of an economic-commercial nature, which is provisionally valid, and a complete agreement.
In September, they were formally submitted by the European Commission to the European Parliament and the member states of the European bloc. The European Parliament needs to approve it with a favorable vote of 50% of deputies plus one, which may face resistance from countries like France, which question the terms of the agreement.
Furthermore, at least 15 of the 27 countries need to ratify the text, representing at least 65% of the total population of the European Union, which could take several years. When the full agreement comes into force, it will replace the interim trade agreement.
Mercosur countries need to do the same and submit the final document to their parliamentarians, but entry into force is individual, that is, there is no need to wait for approval from the parliaments of the four member states.
