France Leads EU Talks on Mercosur Trade Deal Amid Agricultural Concerns

France hosted a meeting with 10 EU countries to discuss the Mercosur trade deal, voicing opposition unless an emergency brake on farming imports is included. The EU states seek to balance trade diversification with farmer protections, emphasizing a need for a more effective deal structure.

In a strategic move, France convened a meeting of ten European Union countries on Thursday to deliberate over a contentious trade agreement with Latin America's Mercosur bloc. The French stance remains against the deal's current form, advocating for the integration of an 'emergency brake' on farming imports.

The assembly united EU countries expressing reservations about a deal that has taken two decades to negotiate. European farmers, concerned about being undercut by imports from Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay—nations with more lenient environmental standards—worry about the competition in agricultural sectors like beef and grains.

Minister for Europe Benjamin Haddad stressed the importance of trade diversification in today's geopolitical climate during a virtual conference. The proposal suggests an automatic clause to curb agricultural imports in case of market upheaval, aiming for a constructive compromise with the European Commission to open new Latin American markets.

(With inputs from agencies.)