EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan sought to convince MEPs on Wednesday 18 December in Strasbourg that the free trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc is the only lever the EU has to encourage these countries to meet their climate commitments.
During a debate sparked by the Greens/EFA, the European Commission once again defended its free trade agreement with the South American bloc before the European Parliament (see EUROPE 12335/17) and assured that it met the climate ambitions identified in its Green Deal (see EUROPE 12388/1).
Among the 64 MEPs who wished to speak in the debate, several reiterated their hostility to this trade treaty, which would see the EU conclude an agreement with controversial President Jair Bolsonaro’s Brazil. MEPs, mainly from the left, argue that the deal is contrary to the ambitions of the Green Deal. They also call for the agreement to be accompanied by sanctions for breaches of the commitments on sustainable development provisions contained therein.
At the end of the 2.5-hour debate, Mr Hogan reiterated and defended his line, since the conclusion of the agreement in June 2019, that this pact would be climate-friendly.
Trade treaties provide the EU with the one and only opportunity to influence the behaviour of its partners, he said. According to him, “Bolsonaro changed his mind in the context of this agreement”, which contains binding commitments by the signatories to implement the Paris Climate Accord. The contribution determined by Brazil in this pact contains several elements aimed at protecting the Amazon (combating illegal logging and deforestation).
The Commissioner also took the opportunity to allay the fears of European farmers: in his view, the current beef quotas are not being fully utilised, as South American producers are unable to meet the quality standards imposed by the EU. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)