One year after the identification of a trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc, of which Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay are members, hostility against this treaty is not waning.
On 2 June, the lower house of the Dutch Parliament passed a resolution calling on the government to reject the agreement finalised on 28 June 2019. The Irish Parliament had, moreover, preceded it, with Austria, for its part, having included in the government's coalition agreement, a promise to reject it.
As a reminder, only an agreement in principle had been reached between the parties, this treaty has not yet been signed and the ratification procedure has not yet been initiated (see EUROPE 12394/25).
A mainly political approach, therefore, but one that could be emulated.
Several elements are denounced by critics of the agreement, in particular the concessions made by the EU on agriculture (see EUROPE 12335/17, 12326/19) and provisions deemed too weak on sustainable development (see EUROPE 12405/21, 12317/12), particularly faced with the actions of the Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro.
“We are aware of the debate regarding this trade agreement that is taking place in several Member States”, a Commission spokesperson said on 4 June.
While the institution remains convinced that the treaty contains the necessary provisions “to promote values like sustainable development and benefit European farmers, producers and consumers”, the spokesperson stressed that the institution “listens carefully” to the views expressed on this issue. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)