This EU-CELAC summit is the first meeting in over eight years and the third in history. Four years ago, the European Union reached a political agreement with the Mercosur countries. That treaty with Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay still needs to be ratified by the EU countries. Free trade agreements have also been concluded with Mexico and Chile.
The demonstrators in Brussels argued that these treaties “come at the expense of respect for the ecological limits of the planet, decent working conditions, employment, and animal welfare,” according to Entraide & Fraternité, a French-speaking Roman Catholic organization committed to international justice and fraternal sharing. Furthermore, according to them, these trade agreements are the basis for many human rights violations in South America.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Brazilian President Lula da Silva said they expect that the Mercosur treaty can be signed ‘before the end of this year.’
Several EU countries believe that provisions should still be included in the treaty against illegal logging in the Brazilian rainforest to make room for more agricultural land.
Others contend that stricter environmental criteria should apply to the import of South American food products as well. Such additions could be included as an ‘annex’ in the treaty, but the EU countries have not yet reached an agreement on this.
Austria has already spoken out against ratification. France hesitates; Germany is in favor. European agricultural organizations also have reservations about the new trade rules as long as South American exports are not required to comply with environmental regulations that do apply to European farmers in the EU. Reportedly, Brazil is currently working on some kind of counterproposal in an attempt to address European objections.