At a time when the texts of the agreement in principle finalised with the four South American states of Mercosur were just published on 28 June, the subject was largely on the agenda of the Council of Agriculture Ministers on Monday 15 July (see also other articles).
In front of a group of journalists, Didier Guillaume, French Minister of Agriculture, recalled that it was "essential" that France remain open to the signing of trade agreements. However, Mr Guillaume relayed some of the concerns expressed by the French agricultural sector, stressing that "verifications" were necessary to confirm that "it is a good agreement".
These would concern, on the one hand, the "extent" of the safeguard clause and, on the other hand, compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary standards.
The text of the Agreement in Principle offers the possibility of imposing bilateral safeguards: "if after the entry into force of this Agreement, imports of a product under preferential terms have increased in such quantities, absolute or relative to domestic production or consumption … and under such conditions as to cause or threaten to cause serious injury to the domestic industry of the importing Party or Signatory Party(ies)".
These measures should be applied "only to the extent necessary to prevent or remedy serious injury or threat thereof", the agreement also states.
As for sanitary and phytosanitary standards, the Committee promised to obtain from its trading partner strict compliance with EU food safety standards, while reaffirming the precautionary principle and the right of the parties to adopt measures to protect human health.
However, a senior official recently reminded the press that it would be largely up to the Member States, once the agreement is implemented, to verify that imported products actually comply with these commitments.
To read the text of the tentative agreement: https://bit.ly/2Gc5UKn (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel with Lionel Changeur)