France has expressed strong concerns that the deal in its current form would hurt its powerful agricultural sector by exposing it to competition from South American producers who operate under less stringent environmental and labor standards.
“I will not leave the Mercosur presidency without having concluded the trade deal,” Lula declared during a joint press conference with Macron. He urged the French leader to “open your heart” to the agreement and suggested organizing direct talks between Brazilian and French farmers to resolve their concerns. Lula also pledged that Brazil is committed to fighting deforestation — a major sticking point in European criticism of the pact.
Macron reiterated his support for fair and equitable trade but insisted that the current draft is unacceptable for French and European farmers. He called for the inclusion of "mirror clauses" to ensure that imported goods meet EU production standards. France has also proposed an emergency safeguard mechanism to curb imports in the event of market disruption.
French farming groups, worried about the impact on beef, poultry, and sugar sectors, have urged Macron to rally other EU countries to form a blocking minority against the deal. They argue that the agreement undermines the EU’s food sovereignty and sustainability goals.
The two leaders also addressed the war in Ukraine. Macron encouraged Brazil — along with China and India — to do more to pressure Russia to end the conflict. Lula expressed Brazil’s desire to act as a peace broker, while Macron emphasized that Russia is the aggressor and that fact must shape any peace negotiations.
thepigsite.com