06/06/2025 (Agence Europe) – The EU-Mercosur trade agreement would be “the best response our regions can give in a scenario of uncertainty brought about by the return of unilateralism and tariff protectionism”, said Brazilian President Lula da Silva to his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on Thursday 5 June. In July, Brazil will take over the presidency of Mercosur for six months. The Brazilian head of state wants to use this period to get the treaty approved: “I will leave the presidency of Mercosur with the European Union–Mercosur agreement signed”. However, the French President did not deviate from his usual line. The agreement “puts European agriculture at risk”, he replied. On the same day, Annie Genevard, France’s Minister of Agriculture, co-signed a press release with her Austrian and Hungarian counterparts expressing their concerns about the impact of the agreement on European agricultural sectors (see EUROPE 13654/18). (LM)