The European Union could approve the planned trade agreement with the Mercosur countries before summer – admitted EU Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen. French President Emmanuel Macron has also withdrawn from his firm opposition, declaring readiness to discuss the structure of the agreement. These bold declarations came right after the presidential elections in Poland.
The EU Agriculture Commissioner announced the acceleration in an interview with Reuters. Hansen, signalling the European Union’s readiness to approve the deal with Mercosur, stated directly:
“It could happen before summer.”
The agreement still needs to be ratified by the EU member states. As Reuters noted, one of the previous critics of the agreement, Emmanuel Macron, suddenly changed his stance after a conversation with the President of Brazil.
On Thursday in Paris, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called on French President Emmanuel Macron to conclude a free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc countries, and Macron himself expressed willingness to “improve the text of the agreement.”
Both initiatives – by Hansen and Macron – were noted on X by Waldemar Buda, a Member of the European Parliament from the Law and Justice party.
“Boom! The Agriculture Commissioner confirms that the agreement with Mercosur could be approved before summer! After the elections, tongues have loosened. The entire Polish presidency wasted!”
Waldemar Buda wrote on X.
“Tusk went to France and ultimately signed a treaty with climate targets from the Green Deal, and at the same time, President Macron withdrew his opposition to Mercosur! And all this during the Polish presidency!”
Buda also wrote on X.
The EU and Mercosur – which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Uruguay – agreed in June 2019, after 20 years of negotiations, to establish a free trade zone for 700 million people. However, the agreement has yet to be ratified. The deal is intended to open South American markets to European technologies. The European Commission also hopes to source raw materials from these countries necessary for producing clean technologies, including batteries.