Emmanuel Macron says EU-Mercosur deal ‘is not possible’ if Latin America violates environmental regulations

French President, Emmanuel Macronwarned this Saturday that a trade agreement between the European Union and the countries of Mercosur “It is not possible“if Latin Americans do not respect Environmental standards like Europeans.

An agreement with Latin American countries It’s not possible if they don’t respect the Paris agreements (on the climate) like us and if they do not respect the same environmental and health constraints that we impose on our producers, ”said Macron, on the sidelines of his visit to the great national agricultural fair.

Mercosur is made up of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguayall important agricultural powers.

“When restrictions are imposed on our producers, we have to impose them on the food we importsomething that is not done enough at European level,” Macron said.

The EU and Mercosur reached a trade agreement in 2019, after more than 20 years of complex negotiations, but this it has not been ratified due to concern in Europe over the environmental policy of the former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.

The tone changed in favor following the return to power of the left-wing president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and earlier this year, the Vice-President of the European Commission, Francois TimmermansHe said the EU expects to sign the agreement by July.

French farmers, and cattle breeders in particular, fear the entry into the EU market of South American agricultural products subject to production standards that are less stringent than those of the EU.

Macron also announced that will visit China “early April” and called on Beijing to “help put pressure on Russia” For “stop aggressionto Ukraine andbuild peace”.

China released a 12-point document on Friday calling for peace talks and a “political solution” between the parties. Macron felt that this peace “only possible if it includes the end of Russian aggressionwithdrawal of troops and respect for territorial sovereignty and the Ukrainian people”.

On Friday, Macron advocated “increase the pressure and isolation of Russiafor Moscow to renounce its “aggressive enterprise” against Ukraine, during a videoconference with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

He highlighted as a “priority” “the intensification of support” for Ukraine so that it can recover its sovereignty and territorial integrity, detailed the Elysée in a press release. “In this sense, the Head of State stressed the importance of fight against any circumvention of existing sanctionsby Russia, the message adds.

A year after the full-scale invasion orchestrated from Moscow, French and Turkish leaders were talking about “useful gesturesthat could benefit the civilian populations and “in favor of a return to peace which takes place with full respect for Ukraine’s legitimate rights”.

They also discussed their joint efforts to enable the export of Ukrainian agricultural products, “essential for global food security”.

By videoconference, Macron also expressed his country’s desire to “respond to a humanitarian emergency” derived from the recent earthquake.

“After having sent two civil security detachments on the same day to participate in emergency research, France is now mobilizing by sending equipment and food, and continues to treat a hundred people a day in its hospital in campaign deployed in Gölbasi,” the statement said. .

(With agency information)

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