France has urged the EU to delay a vote on the EU‑Mercosur trade deal, saying conditions for approval—particularly protections for European agriculture—are not yet met. Paris demands three guarantees: robust safeguard clauses, equal production standards, and stronger import controls. Ursula von der Leyen is due in Brazil as EU states prepare to vote later this week; the European Parliament will consider farmer safeguards on Tuesday. The bloc trade totals €57bn in 2024 and the agreement could cover about 722 million people if approved.
France Urges EU To Postpone Vote On Controversial EU‑Mercosur Trade Pact
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu and Economy and Finance Minister Roland Lescure leave the Elysee Palace in Paris [File: Bertrand Guay/AFP]
France has asked the European Union to delay a scheduled vote on the long‑running EU‑Mercosur trade agreement, saying the deal is not yet ready for approval and that safeguards for European agriculture remain insufficient.
In a Sunday statement from Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s office, Paris said EU member states should not be asked to vote on the pact in its current form and requested a shift in the timetable to allow further negotiation.
"France asks that the deadlines be pushed back to continue work on getting the legitimate measures of protection for our European agriculture," the statement said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is due to visit Brazil as officials seek to finalise the landmark pact the 27‑member union has negotiated with the Mercosur bloc for more than 20 years. Negotiations have involved four Mercosur members: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Paris Sets Three Preconditions
France’s economy minister, Roland Lescure, told German daily Handelsblatt that the treaty "is simply not acceptable" in its present form. He said Paris wants three concrete guarantees before it will back the agreement:
- Robust and effective safeguard clauses that can be deployed if imports threaten EU producers;
- Equal production standards — ensuring Mercosur imports meet the same environmental and animal‑welfare rules that EU farmers follow;
- Stronger import controls to prevent unfair competition and protect food‑safety standards.
"Until we have obtained assurances on these three points, France will not accept the agreement," Lescure said, reflecting widespread concern among farmers in France and other EU countries who fear competition from products made to lower standards.
Timetable And Political Stakes
Paris noted that a Mercosur summit scheduled for December 20 makes the current timetable inappropriate, arguing the conditions are not in place for member states to authorise signing now. EU governments are reported to be preparing to vote on the pact between Tuesday and Friday, and the European Parliament will vote on Tuesday on a package of safeguards intended to reassure farmers.
Economic Context
The EU is Mercosur’s second‑largest trading partner in goods, with exports to the bloc totaling €57 billion ($67bn) in 2024, according to the European Commission. The EU is also Mercosur’s largest foreign investor, holding an investment stock of €390 billion ($458bn) in 2023. If fully ratified, the agreement could create a common market of around 722 million people.
Significance: The row highlights a broader political balancing act: securing greater access to South American markets while protecting European farmers and high regulatory standards. How Paris’s demands are handled in the coming days will determine whether the pact moves forward or faces further delay.
