France remains opposed to the current draft trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur countries, the government said on Friday, pointing to the "
major
"
problem
of deforestation, after the publication of a critical report on environmental risks .
The French government is formulating three “
demands
” to continue negotiations with these countries (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay), including the essential respect of the Paris agreement on the climate and the alignment of imports with health standards and environmental policies set by the EU.
Read also: EU-Mercosur agreement: a mistreated treaty
In a report published yesterday, a committee of independent experts discussed at length this draft trade agreement between the Union and Mercosur.
This project "
represents a missed opportunity for the EU to use its negotiating power to obtain solid guarantees meeting the environmental, health and more generally societal expectations of its fellow citizens
", concludes the Evaluation Commission in its 184-page study. .
Chaired by environmental economist Stefan Ambec, this group was tasked in July 2019 with conducting an independent assessment on the “
potential effects (...) in terms of sustainable development
” of this agreement, which has yet to be ratified by all national parliaments to be definitively validated.
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