It is a union rare enough to be reported. This Tuesday, March 14, deputies from all sides gathered at the National Assembly for a press conference at the initiative of the deputy (LFI) François Ruffin in order to denounce the comeback in force of Mercosur, this free trade agreement between the European Union and several Latin American countries, which was set in motion more than twenty years ago.
Often presented as a “cars for cows” agreement, this gigantic commercial treaty, covering sectors as vast as agriculture, chemicals, automobiles, pharmaceuticals and even cosmetics, makes the subject of dotted negotiations since the mid-2000s.
Mirror clauses still requested by France
But in recent months pressure has mounted, particularly from Brazil and Germany, which hope to sign the deal later this year. The Spanish presidency of the European Union, which will start on July 1, should also declare itself in favor of it. Except that several countries, such as the Netherlands or France, continue to put the brakes on.
On the occasion of the Agricultural Show at the end of February, Emmanuel Macron announced that there would be no agreement between the EU and Mercosur as long as the countries of the Latin American organization “do not respect » the Paris Climate Agreement. To do this, the French president defended the principle of the famous “mirror clauses”, these clauses implying the reciprocity of environmental, social and societal rules on the taxation of traded products. Without such clauses, “the agreement cannot be accepted”, he declared.
Sacred union of deputies around an anachronistic agreement
For once, deputies from all parties – apart from the National Rally – rallied to this position. This Tuesday, they denounced in chorus the aberrant nature of this agreement inherited from the past, at the time of climate change and the conquest of food sovereignty.
“This agreement would be tantamount to sacrificing our farmers on the altar of free trade”, notably denounced Pascal Lavergne, of the Renaissance group. Same story on the side of Jean-Yves Bony, at Les Républicains, who announced that he would continue his fight against Mercosur, which began several years ago.
Even the MoDem deputy Pascal Lecamp, who presented himself as a fervent defender of free trade, mocked an agreement “incompatible with France’s post-COP21 commitment, and which would lead to the importation of deforestation”. As for the EELV deputy, Marie Pochon, she attacked “an agribusiness agreement, which would lead to a leveling down of social and environmental standards”.
Incompatibility with the European Green Deal
Invited by La France insoumise, and by several environmental associations such as France Nature Environnement, the president of the FNSEA, Christiane Lambert, did not have more tender words. “With the European Green Deal, all of agriculture is getting ready to meet the challenge of ecological transition,” she said. Ratifying this agreement would be an affront to farmers, who are already facing an explosion in their costs, but also to consumers, who have been promised more sustainable production methods. »
The cross-party resolution aimed at blocking the agreement at European level is expected to be discussed in the coming weeks during a “parliamentary niche”. This may be an opportunity to open a broader debate on the future of free trade agreements in the era of global warming. “Because if everyone agrees today to denounce Mercosur, the points of agreement around free trade will undoubtedly be fewer”, concluded François Ruffin.
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