As negotiations intensify regarding the Mercosur trade deal, French MPs in Strasbourg and Paris are increasing their pressure on the government over pressing environmental and agricultural issues.
Lawmakers from France are urging the country to take a stand against the Mercosur trade agreement, amid fears that the EU is on the brink of finalizing the deal this year. This appeal stems from a recent letter disclosed to Euronews that outlines concerns from politicians monitoring the negotiation process.
Negotiations to establish a free trade zone between the EU and Mercosur nations—specifically Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay—began nearly 20 years ago. The envisioned trading bloc aims to encompass 780 million people and facilitate annual trade valued between €40 and €45 billion.
A preliminary agreement was reached in 2019, but several EU member states obstructed its progression, citing inadequate environmental commitments in the draft. Concerns also arose regarding the potential impact on EU agriculture, as the agreement would expose European markets to lower tariffs on imports of South American goods like beef, sugar, and poultry.
Despite the challenges, the European Commission insists that negotiations have continued, with several discussions taking place in Brazil in 2024, including one earlier this month. Under pressure from local farmers, French President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly voiced his opposition to the agreement. While the European Commission and numerous EU member states advocate for the deal to access new markets and lessen reliance on China, resistance remains firm.
A letter addressed to French Prime Minister Michel Barnier on October 10, and reviewed by Euronews, highlights the concerns of French green MEPs advocating for a French blockade against the negotiation mandate from the European Commission.
The French greens, along with support from Belgian, Dutch, Italian, and Spanish MEPs, argue that the agreement poses a risk to both biodiversity and forest conservation, while also jeopardizing local farmers and workers who face unfair competition from regions with lower environmental standards.
French MP Pascal Lecamp, representing the liberal Les Démocrates group, has emerged as a vocal critic of the Mercosur deal. He successfully led a resolution through the French National Assembly in June 2023, demanding that any agreement adhere to European production and environmental guidelines.
“Before his appointment as prime minister, our political group met with Michel Barnier, and we were assured of his opposition to the deal,” Lecamp told Euronews.
“It’s feasible to engage in trade with South America across various sectors, but maintaining agricultural sovereignty is critical if we want to sustain 500,000 farms in France,” he emphasized, stressing his intention to amplify pressure on the French government as the year progresses and a deal becomes imminent.
The Mercosur agreement comprises both trade and political facets, necessitating ratification both at the national level and within the EU. French politicians, however, are wary that the trade component might be segregated into an agreement that the EU could ratify independently—something Lecamp’s 2023 resolution cautioned against, stating: “We will not permit the deal to be pushed through without national approval.”
If the European Commission strikes a deal with South America, approval from the European Parliament will be essential, and opposition from French MEPs is escalating. Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, a French Renew MEP on the Parliament’s trade committee, noted a discernible shift in sentiment among colleagues since the June European elections.
Hailing from Brittany, an agricultural stronghold, Vedrenne previously succeeded in persuading her Spanish Renew counterparts to oppose the deal unless stringent environmental assurances were procured. Today, she reflects on whether those MEPs would maintain the same stance. “The current parliamentary makeup is unpredictable. Will the European Conservatives and Reformists Group align, and how will the S&D vote in solidarity with the Germans and Spaniards?”
“Urgent action is necessary before any agreement is finalized,” asserted French Green MEP Majdouline Sbaï, underscoring the pressing need to halt negotiations. President Macron reinforced this sentiment, stating, “As it stands, the treaty is unacceptable,” when questioned about the deal following the recent EU Council summit—further highlighting the sensitivity surrounding Mercosur within French politics.
“We demand full compliance with the Paris Agreement, mirror clauses, and the protection of European industries and farmers to ensure a level playing field,” Macron concluded.
Photo credit & article inspired by: Euronews
