France: EU-Mercosur trade deal 'won't be signed as is'

France vowed Wednesday to prevent a trade deal between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc to be signed in its current state, as the country is rocked by farmer protests.

The trade deal, which would include agricultural powers Argentina and Brazil, is among a litany of complaints by farmers in France and elsewhere in Europe who have been blocking roads to demand better conditions for their sector.

They fear it would further depress their produce prices amid increased competition from exporting nations that are not bound by strict and costly EU environmental laws.

"This Mercosur deal, as it stands, is not good for our farmers. It cannot be signed as is, it won't be signed as is," Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire told broadcasters CNews and Europe 1.

The European Commission acknowledged on Tuesday that the conditions to conclude the deal with Mercosur, which also includes Paraguay and Uruguay, "are not quite there yet".

The talks, however, are continuing, the commission said.

President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that France opposes the deal because it "doesn't make Mercosur farmers and companies abide by the same rules as ours".

The EU and Mercosur nations have been negotiating since 2000.

The contours of a deal were agreed in 2019, but a final version still needs to be ratified.

The accord aims to cut import tariffs on -– mostly European – industrial and pharmaceutical goods, and on agricultural products.

– TIMES/AFP