“The diversification of our outlets must be a priority if we want to make Europe not only a power for a confrontation with the United States, but also a power open to other regions of the world. Mercosur is one of them, but the agreement must be acceptable. As it is either. “
Saint-Martin said he hoped that Europe The Commission would quickly make adjustments that France has long required in the pact struck between the EU and the Mercosur – a South American commercial block which brings together Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
“The Mercosur agreement is a good agreement if, and only if, we manage to have mirror clauses,” added Saint-Martin, referring to the long-standing thrust of France for imported agricultural products to meet the same production standards imposed on EU farmers.
France was the fiercest opponent of the EU-mercosur agreement, which was sealed last year but which still needs approval from the EU countries before entering into force. Saint-Martin said it was not too late for the Commission to change the agreement to make it more acceptable.
“We have a few months before us, until the end of the summer, to do this work with the Commission, and I hope it will be fruitful,” he said.
This would mean the reopening of negotiations on the agreement, just as the two parties concluded their historic agreement after more than two decades of negotiations. The text is currently going through translation and legal friction before being subject to a vote by the EU countries.
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