The president of Brazil, Lula da Silva, stated that it is the European Commission that has the power to sign the agreement. France and Italy, among others, are opposed.
The president of Brazil, Lula da Silvadismissed this Wednesday that France could hinder the agreement between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur. “They don’t decide anything anymore, it’s the European Commission who decides”he stated.
The president of France, Emmanuel Macronruled out his country accompanying the agreement between both regional blocs in the terms that are proposed today. “We do not believe in the agreement as negotiated”he announced a few days ago and reiterated it during his meeting in Casa Rosada with his Argentine counterpart, Javier Milei.
Despite the importance of France, Lula He ruled out that it is enough for him to fall. “If the French do not want the agreement, they do not decide anything else, it is the European Commission who decides”he said during an industry forum in Brasilia.
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“Ursula von der Leyen (president of the European Commission) has the power to seal that agreement and I intend to sign it even this year“said the Brazilian president.
The current terms of the agreement between the EU and the four Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) was agreed upon in 2019, but there were European countries, including France, Italy and Poland, that never joined due to pressure from their agricultural sectors in their countries.
The French opposition
Not only Macron expressed his rejection of the EU-Mercosur agreement. Last Tuesday, French deputies voted majority against. There were 484 votes against 70.
Who else is pushing to prevent the agreement from being signed are french farmers. They have been holding protests for some time because they believe that if they happen, they would have to face unfair competition from South American products, especially from Brazil.
The talks will continue next week, during a summit of the Mercosur in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Source: Ambito
