EU‑Mercosur trade deal faces backlash from France, Poland
Nothing is set in stone yet, but negotiations between the EU and Mercosur countries regarding a food free trade agreement have concluded with an accord. The farmer.pl service checked how many products from the association's countries are now being imported into the European Union and Poland.
1:11 PM EST, December 12, 2024
The agreement between the EU and Mercosur, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay, is sparking protests in the Union. Governments from Poland and France, along with activists and farmers, are raising concerns that production standards in South America and Europe vary significantly. This raises issues for European producers, who face higher costs on the so-called Old Continent, and for environmentalists and activists advocating for animal welfare.
The European Commission assures that import restrictions to the EU market will be implemented to protect local producers from cheaper food from Mercosur countries. This will present a new challenge for farmers, as indicated by Eurostat data.
According to information from the farmer.pl service, data from the European statistical office shows that in 2023, Poland did not import pork, poultry, or eggs from Mercosur countries. Regarding imports to the entire EU, 72,000 eggs were brought in last year.
France and Poland against the Mercosur agreement
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, during a conference in Warsaw with Prime Minister Donald Tusk, expressed his reservations about the agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur countries. The French leader fears the negative impact of the agreement on the European agricultural market.
Macron emphasized that he will not agree to the agreement in its current form and expects further clarifications from the European Commission. He stated that he does not intend to sacrifice French agriculture in the name of mercantilism. He added that trade should be consistent with the principles of ecology and sovereignty.
For the agreement to take effect, it must be ratified by the European Union. There are two potential paths: either the agreement will require ratification by all national parliaments, or it will need to be voted on by the European Parliament and the member states in the EU Council.
In the second scenario, states would decide by a qualified majority, which requires approval from 15 out of 27 countries representing at least 65% of the EU's population.
