Following initial criticisms, France is pushing harder for a delay in the EU-Mercosur trade deal's signing on Saturday in Brazil, citing insufficient farmer protections. LR Senator Retailleau calls out Macron's inconsistent positions, while a diplomat warns: 'It's now or it's dead'.
In an escalating standoff over the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement—covering Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay—France is intensifying efforts to postpone the planned signing at the Mercosur summit in Brazil on December 20. After Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's call yesterday for extended deadlines to secure better safeguards for European agriculture, Emmanuel Macron's entourage now deems current protections for French farmers 'not sufficient,' aiming to push discussions into next year.
French farmers' opposition, already heightened by issues like nodular dermatosis outbreaks, fears unfair competition from South American meat, sugar, rice, honey, and soy imports. LR Senator Bruno Retailleau urged Macron to clarify his stance, noting it varied—'rather positive' in Mexico a month ago, but now firmly against signing without changes.
The Commission and allies like Germany, whose cabinet approved the deal Wednesday, view France's moves as an attempt to scuttle 25 years of talks. A European diplomat captured the urgency: 'It's now or it's dead.' Paris is seeking a blocking minority in the Council for additional guarantees, testing EU unity ahead of required qualified majority approval and European Parliament ratification.