EU-Mercosur Deal Faces Decisive Vote Amid Opposition from France and Italy - Folha de S.Paulo

The European Union–Mercosur agreement enters a decisive week as internal opposition within the bloc grows. This Tuesday (16), the European Parliament will vote on safeguards included in the text, while ratification by the Council of the European Union, scheduled for Thursday (18), faces resistance led by France and now also Italy.

The French government has reiterated its request to delay the process in order to discuss measures to protect European agriculture. According to Reuters, President Emmanuel Macron secured the support of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. France, Poland and Hungary already oppose the deal, and Austria and Ireland are considering joining that stance.

To block the proposal in the Council, a blocking minority of at least four countries representing 35% of the EU population is required. If such a group takes shape, Denmark, which currently holds the bloc’s rotating presidency, could remove the issue from the agenda.

The safeguards under review meet French and Italian demands and include monitoring of beef, poultry, rice and ethanol markets, as well as the possibility of intervention in the event of price fluctuations exceeding 10%.

The presence of European officials at the Mercosur summit scheduled for Saturday (20) in Foz do Iguaçu is seen by Brazil’s Foreign Ministry as a positive sign, though the signing remains contingent on the Council’s decision. "France alone does not have the power to block it, nor do France and Poland together," said Gisela Padovan, secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean at Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The agreement would create a free trade market with around 722 million consumers.