Poland joins France and in turn opposes the EU-Mercosur agreement

Joining the French position, the Polish government opposed the current version of the agreement between the European Union and the South American Mercosur countries.

Warsaw enters the field and Paris recovers a solid defender in its team. While the proposed free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur is shaking up the Old Continent, Poland has joined the French position, refusing it in turn “in this form” through the voice of its Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, echoing the terms used by the French executive. His government passed a resolution endorsing the country's opposition to the current version of the treaty, motivated by “concern for Polish farmers and food security.”

The Polish rallying comforts the camp of those opposed to the agreement, until then composed of France alone. Ordinarily, the ratification of such a treaty would have required unanimity within the Council of the EU (which represents the member states) and France would not have needed allies to stand in its way. But the European Commission should probably take another legal route to speed up the decision-making process, splitting the EU-Mercosur agreement into two parts. A simple qualified majority vote would, in this case, be sufficient to ratify its commercial aspect.

Blocking minority

If this is confirmed in Brussels, France will need to constitute a blocking minority (at least four member states and 35% of the population) to obstruct the ratification of the commercial part of the fiercely supported EU-Mercosur agreement. by other European countries, Spain, Portugal and Germany in the foreground. Having been maneuvering for weeks, Paris has finally achieved its first success, by officially winning Warsaw over to its cause. The French Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, recently visited Poland.

“Such a minority can be formed, although, of course, it will not be easy,” said Polish Deputy Prime Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, confirming “diplomatic actions underway” to achieve this.

But nothing is certain yet. Polish support alone is not enough: such a blocking minority represents around 160 million inhabitants, while France and Poland only have a little more than 100 million inhabitants between them. . There are still two Member States missing to complete the team, and not the least, since almost 60 million inhabitants must also be added to reach the right number. All eyes are on the Netherlands and Austria, and especially uncertain Italy, torn between supporters and detractors of the EU-Mercosur agreement.