France will not accept the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement under the current conditions, French Prime Minister Michel Barnier said today in Brussels after a meeting with the President of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen.
"I told the president of the EC that under the current conditions the agreement is not acceptable for France and it will not be," Barnije told reporters and added that his country's position should not be ignored.
The agreement between the 27 EU members and the Latin American countries of Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay) has been discussed for more than 20 years, but its conclusion seems inevitable, despite opposition from France.
Condemning the "catastrophic impact that the agreement would have on entire sectors, especially agriculture and livestock", Barnier said the same fears exist in many European countries.
Asked about adjustments that could make the text acceptable to France, Barnier did not want to go into details.
"It is not about patching or compensation. We are in solidarity with the agricultural world on this issue that causes great concern, and rightly so, which is the Mercosur issue," the French prime minister said.
Farmers, many of whom came from France, protested in Brussels today to voice their opposition to the deal.
In France, agricultural unions have called for demonstrations against the Mercosur deal.
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