French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will vote against the European Union’s trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur, citing concerns over agriculture, food sovereignty, and limited economic gains. Macron’s decision comes after farmers protested in Paris, blocking roads and landmarks like the Arc de Triomphe, fearing the deal would flood the EU with cheap food imports. Despite securing “major commitments” from the European Commission, Macron stated that the economic benefits of the deal are marginal, increasing EU GDP by only 0.05% by 2040.
The EU-Mercosur agreement would create one of the world’s biggest free-trade areas, allowing the EU to export more vehicles, machinery, wines, and spirits to Latin America. However, Macron emphasized that the signing of the agreement is not the end of the story, and he will continue to fight for the full implementation of commitments obtained from the European Commission and to protect French farmers. Ireland has also announced it will vote against the deal, while Italy has expressed conditional support, calling for safeguards to protect vulnerable agricultural sectors.
