According to Reuters, speaking at a press conference after the EU summit in Brussels, Macron noted that it was still too early to deliver a final assessment of the agreement but that the results of the latest negotiation rounds looked “encouraging.”
“Today, the French government, like others, is waiting for final answers. But everything is moving in the right direction — to protect the most vulnerable sectors and European consumers,” Macron said.
France has traditionally maintained a cautious stance in talks with Mercosur, expressing concerns about the potential negative impact of cheaper agricultural imports from Latin America on the competitiveness of European farmers.
Paris insists on including a “safeguard mechanism” in the agreement, which would allow limiting imports in case of threats to the European market, as well as on strengthening environmental and sanitary standards for imported goods, particularly meat.
Negotiations between the EU and Mercosur have been ongoing for more than two decades. A preliminary version of the deal was reached in 2019, but its ratification has been delayed due to disagreements over environmental standards, climate commitments, and the protection of European farmers.
According to Macron, France supports a “balanced approach” that would help strengthen the EU’s strategic partnership with Latin America without compromising European standards of safety and sustainable production.
PigUA.info based on materials from thepigsite.com