Latest news with #EU-Mercosur
LeMonde
4 days ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
Lula presses Macron on Mercosur trade deal during Paris visit
French President Emmanuel Macron and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva may have a close relationship, but that does not always prevent serious disagreements. Macron welcomed Lula to Paris on Thursday, June 5, for a two-day state visit, and the two leaders were set to meet again at a United Nations conference on ocean protection in Nice from June 9 to 13. The state dinner at the Elysée, which was attended by a large number of guests, was preceded earlier in the day by a tense moment during a joint press conference following their welcome at Les Invalides and initial talks. Lula launched into a passionate plea for the signing of the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur (the South American trade bloc). "My dear Macron, open your heart a little," he urged the French president, who has deemed the compromise negotiated by the European Commission "unacceptable in its current form." Such an EU-Mercosur agreement would be "the best response our regions can give in a scenario of uncertainty brought about by the return of unilateralism and tariff protectionism," added the former trade unionist, referring to the threat of trade wars posed by US president Donald Trump. The Brazilian leader even encouraged the 27 member states to sign the agreement during his presidency of Mercosur in the second half of 2025.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Brazil's Lula and France's Macron spar over EU-Mercosur trade deal
By Elizabeth Pineau and Gabriel Araujo PARIS (Reuters) -Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and French leader Emmanuel Macron disagreed on Thursday over the EU-Mercosur free trade deal, with Lula urging Macron during a visit to Paris to sign off on a deal that angers French farmers. The differences between the two men underline the challenges of getting the long-delayed trade deal between South America's Mercosur bloc and the European Union over the line. A deal was finalised in December but still needs approval from member states like France, which argues the pact as it stands is harmful to its powerful agricultural sector. Lula, on a state visit to France, said he will soon take up the rotating presidency of South America's Mercosur bloc, and committed to using that six-month stint to ink a lasting accord. "I will not leave the Mercosur presidency without having concluded the trade deal," Lula told a press conference alongside Macron, urging the French president to "open your heart" to the deal. He also said he would like to get French and Brazilian farmers together so they could settle their differences and hash out an accord, while also urging Macron to reassure European peers about Brazil's commitment to fight deforestation. Macron said he was in favor of free and equitable trade, but that the deal currently harms French and European farmers who would have to compete against South American peers not subject to the same norms and regulations. He said the text could be improved with the insertion of mirror clauses. France has previously argued for the insertion of an emergency break clause to restrict imports if a sudden surge in imports destabilizes certain EU markets. In a meeting with French lawmakers this week, French farmers' groups urged Macron to rally partners to form a blocking minority against the Mercosur deal, which they say would be devastating for the beef, poultry and sugar industries and compromise the EU's ambitions in terms of food sovereignty. On the war between Russia and Ukraine, Macron said Brazil, along with China and India, could do more to pressure Moscow to end the fighting. Lula said he was committed to brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine, while Macron said everyone wanted peace, but that Moscow was the aggressor and that fact needed to be taken into account when adjudicating an end to the fighting.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Brazil's Lula and France's Macron spar over EU-Mercosur trade deal
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron welcome Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife Rosangela \"Janja\" da Silva as they arrive for a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, as part of their state visit to France, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife Rosangela \"Janja\" da Silva arrive for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron (not seen) at the Elysee Palace in Paris, as part of their state visit to France, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron welcome Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife Rosangela \"Janja\" da Silva as they arrive for a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, as part of their state visit to France, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron welcome Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife Rosangela \"Janja\" da Silva as they arrive for a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, as part of their state visit to France, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron welcome Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife Rosangela \"Janja\" da Silva as they arrive for a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, as part of their state visit to France, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier PARIS - Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and French leader Emmanuel Macron disagreed on Thursday over the EU-Mercosur free trade deal, with Lula urging Macron during a visit to Paris to sign off on a deal that angers French farmers. The differences between the two men underline the challenges of getting the long-delayed trade deal between South America's Mercosur bloc and the European Union over the line. A deal was finalised in December but still needs approval from member states like France, which argues the pact as it stands is harmful to its powerful agricultural sector. Lula, on a state visit to France, said he will soon take up the rotating presidency of South America's Mercosur bloc, and committed to using that six-month stint to ink a lasting accord. "I will not leave the Mercosur presidency without having concluded the trade deal," Lula told a press conference alongside Macron, urging the French president to "open your heart" to the deal. He also said he would like to get French and Brazilian farmers together so they could settle their differences and hash out an accord, while also urging Macron to reassure European peers about Brazil's commitment to fight deforestation. Macron said he was in favor of free and equitable trade, but that the deal currently harms French and European farmers who would have to compete against South American peers not subject to the same norms and regulations. He said the text could be improved with the insertion of mirror clauses. France has previously argued for the insertion of an emergency break clause to restrict imports if a sudden surge in imports destabilizes certain EU markets. In a meeting with French lawmakers this week, French farmers' groups urged Macron to rally partners to form a blocking minority against the Mercosur deal, which they say would be devastating for the beef, poultry and sugar industries and compromise the EU's ambitions in terms of food sovereignty. On the war between Russia and Ukraine, Macron said Brazil, along with China and India, could do more to pressure Moscow to end the fighting. Lula said he was committed to brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine, while Macron said everyone wanted peace, but that Moscow was the aggressor and that fact needed to be taken into account when adjudicating an end to the fighting. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
France 24
5 days ago
- Business
- France 24
Brazil's President Lula kicks off state visit to France as farmers urge Macron to block trade deal
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva began his state visit to France Thursday, where the centre-left leader is expected to discuss French President Emmanuel Macron 's public reservations about the planned European Union trade agreement with South American bloc Mercosur and broader geopolitical tensions around the war in Ukraine. Lula said on Tuesday he would discuss the EU-Mercosur deal with Macron, a strong critic of the agreement in its current form. The deal between Brussels and Mercosur bloc members Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay was announced as a "win-win" by EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen in December but is facing stiff opposition from France and agricultural groups. The deal still needs to be approved by at least 15 of the European Union's 27 member nations representing a minimum of 65 percent of the EU population. In a meeting with members of parliament Wednesday, French farmers' groups urged Macron to rally enough partners to form a blocking minority against the Mercosur deal, which they say would be devastating for the beef, poultry and sugar industries and compromise the EU's ambitions in terms of food sovereignty. "It would be a real tragedy for our industry," Alain Carré, head of French sugar industry group AIBS said. "We're sounding the alarm." French farmers held nationwide protests last year over low incomes, rising costs, and competition from cheap imports, particularly from Ukraine and Mercosur countries, demanding fairer trade terms and lighter regulation. "Our demands (for an EU-Mercosur agreement) are simple: reciprocity of rules, traceability abroad and much clearer labelling," Jean-Michel Schaeffer, head of French poultry industry group Anvol, said. Meanwhile, a few hundred farmers protested in Madrid against cheap grain imports from Ukraine and other countries, saying prices have fallen below production costs. Spanish farmers are likely to lose 1 billion euros this year, said Javier Fatas, a leader of farmers union COAG from the Aragon region in northeastern Spain. 01:34 "This happens because of trade deals signed by Spain and the EU as part of geopolitics, bringing us prices too low to sustain our farms," Fatas said. He warned that genetically modified grains from Mercosur also created unfair competition, echoing French farmers' concerns. Wednesday's protest was peaceful, but only the beginning, he added.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Farmers in EU raise alarm over Mercosur, Ukraine trade deals
By Sybille de La Hamaide and Inti Landauro PARIS/MADRID (Reuters) -French and Spanish farmers warned on Wednesday that a flood of imports under planned European Union trade agreements with South American bloc Mercosur and Ukraine risked severely undermining European agriculture. The concerns come ahead of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's official visit to France and the expiry on Thursday of a free trade deal with Ukraine, which is expected to shift to import quotas this summer. Lula said on Tuesday he would discuss the EU-Mercosur deal with President Emmanuel Macron, a strong critic of the agreement in its current form, which was finalised in December but still needs approval from member states. In a meeting with members of parliament, French farmers' groups urged Macron to rally enough partners to form a blocking minority against the Mercosur deal, which they say would be devastating for the beef, poultry and sugar industries and compromise the EU's ambitions in terms of food sovereignty. "It would be a real tragedy for our industry," Alain Carre, head of French sugar industry group AIBS said. "We're sounding the alarm." French farmers held nationwide protests last year over low incomes, rising costs, and competition from cheap imports, particularly from Ukraine and Mercosur countries, demanding fairer trade terms and lighter regulation. "Our demands (for an EU-Mercosur agreement) are simple: reciprocity of rules, traceability abroad and much clearer labelling," Jean-Michel Schaeffer, head of French poultry industry group Anvol, said. Meanwhile, a few hundred farmers protested in Madrid against cheap grain imports from Ukraine and other countries, saying prices have fallen below production costs. Spanish farmers are likely to lose 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) this year, said Javier Fatas, a leader of farmers union COAG from the Aragon region in northeastern Spain. "This happens because of trade deals signed by Spain and the EU as part of geopolitics, bringing us prices too low to sustain our farms," Fatas said. He warned that genetically modified grains from Mercosur also created unfair competition, echoing French farmers' concerns. Wednesday's protest was peaceful, but only the beginning, he added. "Bad times are coming." Here are the main EU import quotas for Mercosur products in the agreement: Product Quota Volume Tariff / Note Beef 99,000 t 7.5% tariff Poultry 180,000 t 0%, phased in over 5 years Pork 25,000 t 83 euros/tonne Sugar 190,000 t 0% Corn (Maize) 1,000,000 t 0%, phased in Industrial 450,000 t 0% Ethanol Fuel Ethanol 200,000 t One-third of MFN tariff Rice 60,000 t 0% Honey 45,000 t 0% ($1 = 0.8770 euros)
