The brand new trade agreement between the European Union and Australia. Could it reignite “the nightmare of Mercosur for Emmanuel Macron?” This is the question posed by Politico Europe after the signing on Tuesday, March 24, of a comprehensive agreement after eight years of negotiations.
It was Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, who traveled to Canberra for the signing of the document, which is in line with those agreements through which Europe is trying to reduce its dependence on the United States and China. According to Brussels, it could boost European exports to Australia by a third, especially dairy products, vehicles, and chemicals. But in return, it includes quotas for Australian beef and lamb, as well as sugar, much to the dismay of European agricultural organizations. For the FNSEA, it’s a new Mercosur.
“Barely concluded, the trade agreement is already under criticism in France; it once again puts Emmanuel Macron’s government in an uncomfortable position on the commercial front,” notes journalist Giorgio Leali in the European publication. The drama surrounding Mercosur, adopted in January despite the French “no,” is still fresh in Brussels minds.
