The G20 summit, held on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 November in Rio de Janeiro, could have been an opportunity to announce the conclusion of negotiations between the EU and Mercosur on the trade agreement, but it wasn’t to be. Instead, the EU hopes to make the announcement at the Mercosur summit on 5 and 6 December. Negotiators from both sides are set to meet again next week to potentially finalise the last details of the agreement. “We are optimistic about the outcome. In essence, the agreement is almost complete”, said a European diplomat.
Although there are still some important details to be worked out, “it is customary for this to happen right up to the last minute”, according to the source. Negotiations are still due to take place on complying with the Paris Agreement, access for agricultural products to the European market, and the opening up of public procurement markets in Mercosur.
A second source is of the opinion that the time has come for political impetus to resolve these outstanding issues, since compromises appear to be on the cards with regard to various subjects.
But it’s not over yet. The European Commission, which will need to announce the closure of the decisions, is awaiting confirmation of its college by the European Parliament. A delay in the start of the new European Commission could upset the timetable for announcing an agreement with Mercosur.
Back as early as 2023, it was envisaged that discussions would be concluded, but this did not happen.
A year later, concerns on both sides could still prevent the highest level from making such an announcement. In the EU over recent days, farmers have continued to mobilise against the trade agreement and several Member States have also loudly and robustly reaffirmed their opposition.
The MEP Pascal Canfin (Renew Europe, French) believes that France could well rally enough countries to form a blocking minority in the EU Council against the agreement, and that a rejection in the European Parliament is also possible. However, this will only happen at a later stage, once the agreement has been concluded and presented to the co-legislators for ratification. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)