The French Permanent Representation, representing France at the EU level in Brussels, said Paris was continuing to argue that the deal was unacceptable.
“The Permanent Representation is constantly reminding all its interlocutors of the French position, which is that the text is not acceptable as it stands. It recalls that other member states share this position,” said a spokesperson.
Although the EU and Mercosur closed formal negotiations in 2019, the EU has put off signing the agreement in order to add extra conditions to address deforestation and climate concerns and to assuage French farmers’ worries about a glut of Latin American produce.
France insists that it is not against the free-trade deal per se, but simply wants its environmental and agricultural demands to be met. Indeed, much of the French manufacturing industry — in stark contrast to farmers — supports the deal. A French diplomat pushed back against what he called “the caricaturing the French position.”
“We are not against free trade in itself. We need a good deal with all the guarantees,” said the French diplomat. “We ask that the Commission includes in the negotiation robust elements on climate, deforestation,and mirror-clauses that protects our farming interests, fair competition conditions as well as access to critical primary resources.”
But the worrying fact for the French is that the rest of the EU just isn’t as scared of standing up to Paris as it used to be.
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Publish date : 2024-10-13 16:09:00
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