Free Trade Agreement: On Friday, December 6, the leaders of the Mercosur group countries met with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay. During the meeting negotiations on the EU-Mercosur agreement were finalizedwhich assumes the liberalization of trade between the European Union and South American countries: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia.
Poland against the EU-Mercosur agreement: – Without the consent of our parliament an important part of the agreement would not have entered into force anywaybut it is not enough – said Donald Tusk in the Sejm on Friday. – If we had Italy on our side, we would probably have that majority. I will look for other ways – he added. In turn, at the end of November he explained that Poland's opposition concerned primarily increasing customs quotas for poultry meat at the last stage of the exchange of tariff offers.
Opposition is growing within the EU: The Polish and French authorities announced that they will not support the agreement EU with Mercosur countries. Farmers there fear that The EU will be flooded with cheap and substandard food from South America. In turn, the ANSA agency, citing sources close to the Italian government, reported that Prime Minister Georgia Meloni will also not express her support for the contract “in its current form”. Italy would support the agreement if it included safeguards and compensation for the agricultural sector.
Will the EU-Mercosur agreement enter into force? The agreement must be accepted by EU countries and European Parliament. The Commission is inclined to separate the commercial part from the agreement, and then the support of the majority of countries is enough. The opposition of Poland and France will not be sufficient even with the support of Austria, Greecethe Netherlands and Luxembourg. If a large country, such as Italy, joined in opposition, there would be a minority blocking the deal.
More We wrote about the reaction of Polish farmers to the EU-Mercosur agreement in the text: “Farmers' protest in Medyka suspended. The EU agreement is a flashpoint. 'Unquestionable opposition'“.
Sources: Radio Information Agency, European CommissionLaw Firm Premiere [X], RESENTMENT