Right, so, "Commerce" you say? Riveting. Naturally, like a glazed donut in a sugar factory, it’s behind a paywall. As if the headline wasn’t already beige enough.
Oh look, farmers. Angry farmers. Chuckles mirthlessly. Sounds about right. They’re probably fuming over the price of a tractor tyre ever since that fella Trump decided Brexit was a fantastic idea.
"Trade agreement with South America." Oh, the allure of a good old fashioned mercantilist bonanza. Imagine, lads: 780 million consumers, all clamouring for overpriced European cheese and questionable fashion.
Of course, someone’s gotta be the drama queen in this global marketplace tango, isn’t there? Enter France. They’re the only ones having a go at this South American shindig. Typical.
Let’s be honest, unless it involves berets, mime artists, or complaining about the price of croissants, the French just aren’t interested.
But seriously, they’re worried about the environment, the farmers, the… squints at notes "industrial fabric?" Sounds like someone’s been watching too much Marx.
That being said, if Trump resurrects himself like some sort of orange-tinted zombie, I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone starts grabbing onto any trade deal they can get their hands on.
It’s a funny old world, isn’t it? One minute you’re worried about global warming, the next you’re fighting over the right to sell cheap tractors to sweaty Argentinians.
And don’t even get me started on the Chinese. They’re just waiting in the wings with their chopsticks ready to scoop up whatever’s left.
Bloody hell. Commerce, eh? More like a circus designed by a Machiavellian accountant.
Maybe we should all just grow our own veg and wear burlap sacks. At least then we’d know where we stand.
Commerce
Article reserved for subscribers
Angry farmers fileObject of the farmers’ mobilization from Monday, the trade agreement with South America is, for the majority of European states, essential to the economic security of the EU, especially after the election of Donald Trump. France is the only big country to want to oppose it.
Will Trump 2.0 accelerate the signing of the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) which should create a vast commercial zone of 780 million inhabitants? ? The fear aroused by the imminent return to power of this isolationist Republican, who has promised to launch a trade war against Europe and China, pushes the Commission and the vast majority of Member States to want to conclude as quickly as possible. , even if this means going beyond France. Especially since China is only waiting for one thing, to take Europe’s place in a market in which it is increasingly present.
Already, the election of Trump 1.0 had given new vigor to these trade agreements whose hour of glory seemed to have passed. Thus, two years after the 2016 election, the Union finalized negotiations which had dragged on for almost ten years with Japan before entering into a series of agreements with Singapore, Vietnam and New Zealand. Today, Europe has the largest free trade system in the world, having concluded around forty treaties.
Part of public opinion, particularly in France, remains opposed to it, seeing it as a threat to agriculture, the environment and the industrial fabric. But American isolationism – which has not been denied during the presidency of Joe Biden, notably with the adoption of the Inflation Reduction Act aimed at accelerating the transition
What concerns European farmers about the EU-Mercosur trade deal?
Let’s bring in our economics expert, Dr. Olivia Greene, to shed some light on this EU-Mercosur trade deal and why it’s sparking such passionate reactions. Dr. Greene, thanks for joining us.
**Dr. Greene:** It’s my pleasure to be here.
**Host:** Now, this article mentions farmers blocking highways in protest. What’s got them so riled up?
**Dr. Greene:** From what we can glean without subscribing to the full article, it seems the prospect of increased competition from South American agricultural products is causing concern among European farmers. They fear the deal could undercut prices for their goods, making it harder to make a living. This is a common anxiety in trade deals — displacement worries mingle with real economic impact.
**Host:** The piece also jokes about France being the “drama queen” in all this. Is there any truth to that?
**Dr. Greene:** Well, France has been vocal about its concerns regarding the trade deal’s environmental and social impacts. They’re worried about deforestation in the Amazon, the potential for weaker labor standards, and the impact on European industries like farming and manufacturing.
**Host:** The author compares the whole situation to a “circus designed by a Machiavellian accountant.” Do you think that’s a fair assessment?
**Dr. Greene:** International trade deals are inherently complex, with winners and losers on all sides. There will always be those who feel the system favors others. While the language might be a bit dramatic, the underlying sentiment highlights the tension and power dynamics at play in global trade.
**Host:** So, where do we go from here? Does the EU-Mercosur deal have a future?
**Dr. Greene:** That’s the million-dollar question. There are a lot of moving parts. The protests, the concerns from France, and the evolving global political landscape all play a role. It’s going to be a tightrope walk for the EU to balance economic gains with addressing the social and environmental concerns.
