EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement Sparks Controversy
French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed his reservations about the recently concluded trade agreement between the European Union and the South American Mercosur countries, stating that “the matter is not over.”
Macron’s Concerns
Macron emphasized that France will continue to defend the coherence of its commitments and pursue a consistent trade policy. He pointed out that the agreement is not yet ratified and that the signing of the agreement is just the beginning of the process.
Macron also recalled a similar agreement endorsed at the G20 summit in Osaka in 2019, which was later discarded due to non-compliance by the signatories. He stressed that France will not accept any agreement that does not respect the environmental and health standards in force in the EU.
Implications of the Agreement
The EU-Mercosur trade agreement would facilitate the export of EU products such as cars, machines, and pharmaceuticals to Mercosur countries. In return, Mercosur countries would be able to sell products like meat, sugar, rice, honey, and soy to the EU.
However, France has expressed concerns that the agreement would lead to unfair competition, as Mercosur farmers may not adhere to the same environmental and health standards as EU farmers.
Next Steps
The agreement must still be ratified by the EU member states and the Mercosur countries. Macron’s comments suggest that France will continue to push for changes to the agreement to ensure that it meets the country’s concerns.