EU-Mercosur agreement “very bad”, “let’s build a new agreement”, says Macron in Brazil

French President Emmanuel Macron has hammered home Wednesday in Brazil as the negotiated trade deal continues between the European Union and the South American Mercosur bloc was a "very bad deal" and called &agrav; build "a new one".

“I prefer to put my foot down”, the EU-Mercosur agreement “as it is negotiated today is a very bad agreement, for you and for us”, he said. -he said during an Economic Forum in Sao Paulo (south-east).

“In this agreement there is nothing that takes into account the subject of biodiversity and the climate. Nothing! This is why I say it is not good,” he asserted in front of an audience of Brazilian businessmen.

The French president called for the conclusion of another agreement that takes into account environmental issues for the EU as for Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia).

“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”, he continued.

“An agreement of new generation with mirror clauses which will facilitate access to the European market for your companies (…) and which will be more demanding on both sides with our farmers, our industrialists”, he said.

The French president has more than once stated his opposition to this trade agreement, the rules of which are not, in his eyes, “homogeneous” with European rules.

The project treaty, discussions of which began in 1999, intends to eliminate the majority of customs duties between the two zones by creating a space for more than 700 million consumers.

Emmanuel Macron during the France-Brazil Economic Forum at the Federation of Industries of the State of Sao Paulo (FIESP) in Sao Paulo, Brazil, March 27, 2024 © AFP – Miguel Schincariol

After a political agreement in 2019, opposition from several countries including France blocked its final adoption, an opposition which was strengthened with the agricultural crisis raging in Europe. Other European countries such as Germany and Spain, on the other hand, are pleading for its conclusion and entry into force.

Mercosur heavyweight, Brazil tirelessly defends the adoption of the agreement with the EU.

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