a majority of deputies validates the government's opposition to the treaty

French deputies largely validated, with 484 votes for and 70 against, the government's proposal opposing the free trade treaty between the European Union and Mercosur in its current state during a vote organized at the National Assembly this Tuesday, November 26.

A marked political disagreement with this free trade agreement. The French deputies overwhelmingly approved, with 484 votes for and 70 against, the government's position on the draft free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur. As a reminder, the French executive has taken a position to refuse “as it stands” this agreement considered to be harmful to French agriculture.

Despite the fact that this vote was not binding, it gave political weight to the majority due to its unambiguous result. The Minister Delegate in charge of Foreign Trade, Sophie Primas, also considered that this score was “a democratic mandate strengthening our legitimacy to defend the voice of “no” before the Commission and the European Council”.

The Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, defended before the deputies this Tuesday a draft agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay) which does not guarantee “under current conditions » “fair conditions of competition for our farmers”.

Note that all the political groups represented in the Assembly this Tuesday expressed their rejection of the trade agreement. A Senate vote on this topic is scheduled for this Wednesday.

France aligned with Poland on this agreement with Mercosur

Like France, Poland also rejected this free trade treaty on Tuesday via the adoption of a resolution indicating that Warsaw would not accept the agreement “in this form”, in particular because of “the 'concern for Polish farmers and food security'.

“Diplomatic actions are underway to form a minority that will prevent the entry into force of the agreement,” explained Deputy Prime Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz.