“We welcome the signing of the Mercosur agreement as a strategically important step for Europe,” reads a post by the European People’s Party. For years, this political group has included MEPs from Poland’s Civic Coalition and the Polish People’s Party. Do they share the position of the party they represent in the European Parliament?
On Friday, European Union member states agreed to the Mercosur deal. Despite opposition from Poland, France, Ireland, Hungary, and Austria, it was not possible to form a blocking minority. As a result, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, has received the green light to sign the agreement on behalf of the EU in Paraguay, which currently holds the presidency of the Mercosur bloc.
The culmination of the Mercosur process in Poland coincided with a major farmers’ protest. Thousands of demonstrators made their way to the vicinity of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery to voice their opposition.
However, the imminent signing of the agreement has not raised concerns everywhere. From a Polish perspective, a curious post appeared on the European People’s Party’s profile.
“We welcome the signing of the Mercosur agreement as a strategically important step for Europe. The EPP Group will ensure that the European Parliament fully plays its role and guarantees the smooth ratification of this agreement in the shortest possible time,” the statement reads.
It was also assured that “at a time of growing global uncertainty, deepening our engagement in this region is crucial to strengthening Europe’s geopolitical position, its economic resilience, and long-term growth.”
A broader discussion of the alleged “benefits” of the Mercosur agreement was published on the EPP’s website. According to the authors, the deal “strengthens Europe’s competitiveness and strategic autonomy, and reaffirms Europe’s commitment to open and free trade.”
“We expect the EU–Mercosur agreement to be ready for signature next week, and I believe that its signing should be a reason for satisfaction,” reads a document published on Friday.
The EPP group includes Polish MEPs from the Civic Coalition and the Polish People’s Party. Apparently, they lacked the agency to persuade the EPP leadership to refrain from publishing such statements.