A small majority of MEPs voted on Tuesday (6 October) against the ratification of the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement as it stands.
The MEPs - mainly from the S&D, Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL groups, who were joined by French MEPs from the Renew Europe and EPP groups - approved (345 votes in favour, 295 against, 56 abstentions) an amendment by Marie-Pierre Vedrenne (Renew Europe, France) to Jörgen Warborn’s draft report on the implementation of the common commercial policy in 2018.
Many Italian and Spanish MEPs from the S&D Group abstained.
“Fully mobilised for fair and sustainable trade, the French influence is taking shape in Parliament”, said Ms Vedrenne via Twitter. The French Government recently reaffirmed its opposition to the ratification of the EU/Mercosur Agreement (see EUROPE 12563/8).
German Christian Democrat Sven Simon, on the other hand, criticised Vedrenne for an ad hoc alliance with representatives of extreme right and left wing groups. “This short-sighted protectionism will do neither Europe nor the climate any good”, he said.
Hearing before the European Parliament, Commissioner-designate for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis had assured that the ratification process of the agreement would not be pursued until the EU had obtained commitments from Mercosur, in particular from Brazil, on the fight against deforestation (see EUROPE 12573/7). But that does not mean a complete renegotiation of the agreement. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)