2024-01-30 15:36:00
ACurrently, one in two chickens consumed in France comes from abroad, as do 60% of fruits. A situation made easier by the free trade agreements signed by the European Union, which ratified one with New Zealand and another with Canada. But, faced with the anger of European farmers, it is unlikely that the free trade treaty concluded in June 2019 between the European Union and the South American Mercosur countries will soon be ratified.
This sea serpent, in planning since the 1990s, is in fact coming up against more and more opposition. Its adoption, currently being discussed by Brussels in Brazil, is in fact conditional on a unanimous vote in the European Parliament and individual ratification by the 27 member states. France has already declared itself opposed to it, and Belgium, Austria, Ireland and the Netherlands are in turn showing themselves to be more and more reluctant.
Which countries are affected by the EU-Mercosur treaty?
The agreement in principle concluded on June 28, 2019, but never ratified, concerns the countries of the European Union and those of Mercosur, an economic alliance which, since 1991, has brought together Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. Venezuela, which was a member, was suspended in 2017, while Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Surinam are associate members.
As within the EU, goods and services flow freely between these South American states, which also coordinate their trade and macroeconomic policies.
What does the EU-Mercosur treaty provide for?
The EU-Mercosur treaty provides for the lowering of tariff and non-tariff barriers between the European and South American markets to increase their trade relations. It also includes a political component to promote dialogue between the two spaces on issues of migration, digital economy, research, education, humanitarian rights, environmental protection and even cybercrime.
If it entered into force, the treaty would create the largest free trade zone on the planet, affecting 780 million people and covering 40 to 45 billion euros of trade.
Concretely, 90% of customs duties between the two areas would be lowered gradually over ten years, which represents 4 billion euros less customs duties for European exporters. The automotive and spare parts, machinery, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors are concerned.
On the agri-food side, the agreement provides for the import into the EU of 99,000 tonnes of beef, 25,000 tonnes of pork and 180,000 tonnes of poultry per year. In return, customs duties on the export of European products currently heavily taxed, such as alcohol, olive oil or sweet groceries, would be lowered.
Why is the EU-Mercosur treaty criticized?
Its detractors point out that the economic gains of this agreement cannot compensate for its social and environmental costs. The report by economist Stefan Ambec, submitted to Jean Castex, warns of the risk of increased greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation, particularly due to the increase in South American beef exports.
The entry into force of the treaty could also entail health risks to the extent that no requirements in terms of production standards are planned, whether for animal feed or the use of phytosanitary products. .
This is what European farmers denounce, who see it as unfair competition, the agreement allowing, for example, the importation into Europe of agricultural products treated with pesticides banned on European soil. Hence the demand for the establishment of “mirror clauses”, generalizing reciprocity in terms of production standards in commercial exchanges.
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