In a press release, France asks the European Union to be able to “continue the work and obtain legitimate protection measures for our European agriculture,” explained Matignon.
Faced with the anger of farmers, the government is undoubtedly trying to offer itself a reprieve. Sunday December 13, France asked the European Union on Sunday to postpone the “deadlines” planned this week for the signing of the trade agreement with countries of the Mercosurbelieving that the conditions are not “not gathered for any vote” of European states, Matignon said in a press release.
“France requests that the December deadlines be postponed to continue the work and obtain legitimate protection measures for our European agriculture”explained Matignon. “While a Mercosur summit is announced on December 20, it is clear in this context that the conditions are not met for any vote (of States) on an authorization to sign the agreement.”
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The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyenwants to initial this free trade treaty with Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay next Saturday during the Mercosur summit in the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguaçu. The Commission must first obtain the green light from EU member states during the week, between Tuesday and Friday.
Implementation of mirror measures
Before deciding, the Twenty-Seven are awaiting a vote by the European Parliament on December 16 on safeguard measures intended to reassure farmers, particularly French farmers, who are facing strong opposition to this treaty.
France demands that the agreement be accompanied by safeguard clauses to protect “agricultural production sectors from any market disruption”but also “mirror measures in particular on pesticides and animal feed, so that imported products entering the internal market imperatively respect environmental standards”recalled Matignon.
The European Commission announced in September a system of “reinforced monitoring” of agricultural products exposed to this trade agreement such as beef, poultry, rice, honey, eggs, garlic, ethanol and sugar, promising to intervene in the event of market destabilization.
If approved, the EU-Mercosur deal would create a common market of 722 million people.
