Amanda Perobelli / REUTERS
“In this agreement, there is nothing that takes into account the subject of biodiversity and the climate,” denounced the head of state during a visit to Brazil.
Special envoy to São Paulo,
“I prefer to put my foot down…» In front of the audience of businessmen who listen to him in São Paulo, this Thursday, Emmanuel Macron addresses the angry subject. The free trade treaty under discussion between the European Union and the South American countries of Mercosur is one of the differences between France and Brazil, where the President of the Republic is on a state visit until Friday .
“Mercosur, as it is negotiated today, is a very bad agreement, for you and for us», Says Emmanuel Macron, invited to deliver the closing speech of an economic forum. He is thus repeating a position that he has held since 2019, but even more insistent since the demonstrations by farmers, who fear competition from Brazilian and Argentinian meat in the event of the lifting of customs tariffs.
“Let’s build a new agreement”
“This is an agreement that was negotiated twenty years ago», continues Emmanuel Macron, pointing out “an ancient grammar“, while discussions on the treaty began in 1999. “In this agreement, there is nothing that takes into account the subject of biodiversity and climate», he insists. “When I ask farmers to do without pesticides, I cannot, in the same second, say: I will open my market with heterogeneous rules and allow people who do not follow the same rules to import massively without rate. We’re going to lose everyone.»
“Let’s put an end to Mercosur from 20 years ago! Let’s build a new agreement (…) which is responsible from a development, climate and biodiversity point of view.then launches Emmanuel Macron. “A new generation agreement with mirror clauses which will facilitate access to the European market for your companies”he concludes.
Electoral calendar
The Head of State will have the opportunity to discuss this subject with his counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during the bilateral exchanges which will conclude his visit this Friday in Brasilia. Those around him say that the Brazilians are not opposed to the idea of negotiating a new version of the agreement, even if Mercosur also includes Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia. But while the negotiation of trade treaties is a competence of the European Commission, the Élysée mainly intends to pass the ball back to the next Brussels team, which will be formed after the European elections.
A desire mainly dictated by this electoral calendar, while free trade agreements have entered the French countryside, against a backdrop of agricultural crisis. The Senate rejected the ratification of Ceta, a treaty signed between the EU and Canada, and the government is maneuvering to prevent the National Assembly from examining it in turn before the June 9 election. Unlike Mercosur, Emmanuel Macron supports Ceta, but oppositions from both the left and the right want to derail its implementation.