The European Union is expected to vote in mid-December on its long-negotiated trade deal with the Mercosur, the South American bloc of which Argentina is part, according to reports.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, wants member states to give the agreement the green light ahead of the upcoming Mercosur summit in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, on December 20.
Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said last week that the deal would be finalised at the event.
EU governments are first awaiting a European Parliament session on December 16, when MEPs will vote on a package of safeguard measures aimed at easing farmers’ concerns.
Agricultural groups generally oppose the deal and France – its biggest critic – has pressed Brussels to offer further guarantees.
The EU Commission proposed the safeguard measures in September. They include tighter monitoring of agricultural imports that could be affected by the agreement – such as beef, poultry, rice and ethanol – and the option of intervening in the market if imports destabilise prices.
Member states have already endorsed the safeguard clause, which MEPs are due to examine in mid-December.
If the EU Parliament backs the plan, member states are expected to then proceed with a vote on the full trade agreement, likely between December 16 and 19, a diplomat and a European Commission source told AFP.
The vote will be decided by qualified majority. France is the main critic, but Paris is unlikely to muster a blocking minority against the deal, which has strong backing from Germany and Spain.
Farmers’ unions have announced a major protest in Brussels on December 18, coinciding with a summit of EU heads of state and government.
Even if member states approve the agreement next month, full ratification would still require a separate vote in the European Parliament, likely in early 2026. The outcome is expected to be close.
The trade pact would open the door for increased EU exports of cars, machinery, wine and spirits to Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. In return, Europe would ease access for South American beef, sugar, rice, honey and soya – a prospect that has sparked concern in several European farming sectors.
– TIMES/AFP
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