On Tuesday 23 September in Brussels, the European Agriculture Ministers called on the European Commission to take greater account of specific agricultural features in free trade agreements with third countries.
Following an exchange of views at the Agriculture Council on the effects of trade agreements on EU agriculture, Danish Minister Jacob Jensen stressed that the discussion had focused on the consequences of these agreements with Mercosur, the United States and Ukraine. He also indicated that the European Commission had finalised a trade agreement with Indonesia, thanking the Commissioner for his efforts (see other news).
Mr Jensen stressed the importance for the EU and its agri-food sector of maintaining open trade, pointing out that exports generated a surplus of between €60 and €63 billion last year. In his view, the agreements must be “fair and balanced”, but he has confidence in the Commission’s work in this area. The Minister also raised the issue of Chinese anti-dumping duties on European pork, stressing the need to help the farmers and companies concerned.
“We need to find and establish the right balance between opening up markets and protecting our sensitive sectors”, added the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Christophe Hansen, speaking to the press. The necessary safeguard clauses have been widely discussed in the Council, he acknowledged, referring to the EU/Mercosur agreement (see other news).
With regard to the United States, the result obtained is “the best possible given the circumstances”, but the Commission has assured the Member States that it will continue to seek better market access for European agri-food producers.
With regard to the EU/Mercosur agreement, the Commission has presented “unprecedented safeguard mechanisms”, which should be finalised in the coming months (the declaration will then have to be translated into legislation), said Mr Hansen (see EUROPE 13708/15, 13701/1, 13701/2). The institution’s next mission will be to Brazil in around three weeks’ time.
Resistance to the Mercosur agreement. The European Agriculture Ministers have no say over the text of the agreement with Mercosur. However, many of them continue to criticise it.
The agreement is divided into two parts: the trade part, which falls under the exclusive competence of the EU, must be adopted by a qualified majority of the Foreign Affairs Ministers (Trade configuration); the political and cooperation part, which falls under a mixed competence, must be ratified by all the Member States in accordance with their national procedures.
On Tuesday, Poland’s Agriculture Minister Stefan Krajewski reaffirmed his country’s opposition to the agreement. Poland is trying to rally other Member States to form a blocking minority, although, he admitted, “discussions with other countries are not easy”.
His Italian counterpart, Francesco Lollobrigida, reiterated his reservations about the text submitted. “Together with France, Poland, Ireland and Austria, we have pointed out that approval of the agreement as it stands, without safeguards, would be particularly damaging for our European system”. In his view, some progress has been made, but it needs to be written down in black and white: “We want the results announced so far to become something codified”. Mr Lollobrigida stressed the need for strict reciprocity: “We cannot impose rules on our producers in terms of workers’ rights, the environment or reducing the use of plant protection products and, at the same time, not have adequate controls on the goods we import”.
Austria reiterated its opposition to the agreement. Irish Minister Martin Heydon expressed his government’s concerns, “particularly because of the sensitivities of vulnerable sectors such as beef”. “There is no guarantee that this blocking minority will be maintained, but we are continuing to work on it”, he added.
The Spanish Minister, Luis Planas, on the other hand, has urged the EU27 not to delay ratification of the trade agreement with Mercosur any longer, arguing that the safeguards negotiated are unprecedented.
Christophe Hansen was keen to reassure the critics. “I’m not worried: the agreement offers more opportunities than risks”, he says.
The Commissioner has put forward protection mechanisms that can be activated in the event of an imbalance (see EUROPE 13701/1). “We have the possibility of activating clauses and partially suspending the agreement if imports increase by 10% or if prices fall by 10%, even if this only concerns one Member State”, concluded Mr Hansen. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)