Brussels, 15/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - At the Council meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday 14 April, more than 10 EU agriculture ministers repeated warnings over the on-going negotiations on a free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) (see also EUROPE 10359).
Ireland said that, in its opinion, offers should not be made until EU member states have had sufficient time to fully evaluate the content of the impact assessments currently being prepared by the Commission and after full debate in Council.
Several countries, including France, Italy, Poland and the Netherlands (which raised the issue inter alia of animal welfare), drew the Commission's attention to the harmful effects an agreement with the South American bloc would have on a number of European sectors, in particular beef but also citrus fruits and ethanol.
The European Commission is expected very shortly to adopt two impact assessment reports (the first on macro-economic aspects and the second on socio-economic aspects by region and by product). These two studies will be discussed by the expert group on 27 April.
On the offer to Mercosur, European Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Cioloº said: “We are currently preparing the offer within the Commission and should be in a position to present it within 60 days”. There will be a meeting of European and South American negotiators in May. “The offer will not be discussed but the general conditions probably will be”, the commissioner said. The Commission is putting the finishing touches to the impact assessment reports, he stated, and he promised to keep member states informed of the offers that will be made. (L.C./transl.rt)