Europe -mercosur, risk agreements – mail

In early July, after eight years and 14 negotiation cycles, the European Free Trade Association (AELE), which brings together Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, announced the conclusion of a trade liberalization treaty with its Mercosur partners (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay). Meanwhile, Although the process of legal revision. Meanwhile, formal signature and ratification by each parliament is likely to last several months, the end of the negotiations of this “mini-agreement” sends a political signal from the top to countries which must ratify the “great agreement”, that is, the free trade treaty between Mercosur and all 27 European Union States (EU). Nevertheless, Formally accepted in December 2024, this treaty is being translation and parliamentary debate in partner states.

Negotiation between Mercosur. Moreover, AELE thus appears to be a new test ball for all negotiations between South America and Europe: europe -mercosur, risk agreements – these negotiations are the subject of strong criticisms from peasant and union organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations in environmental and development cooperation.

Aele-mercosur. Similarly, the “small” agreement – Europe -mercosur, risk agreements –

The commercial treaty between AELE and Mercosur aims to establish a free trade area including just over 270 million inhabitants. Therefore, According to the Mercosur press release. In addition, “the two parties will benefit from better access to markets for more than 97% of their exports, which will result in growth in bilateral trade and advantages for businesses and individuals”. Similarly, The treaty aims almost all sectors of exchanges. Nevertheless, He will governing the trade in goods. For example, services, investments, intellectual property rights, public procurement, skills, health and phytosanitary measures, technical obstacles to trade, legal affairs including disputes. Meanwhile, It also includes a chapter relating to fair trade and sustainable development (2.07.2025), which critical voices consider as purely formal and insufficient.

europe -mercosur, risk agreements –

Switzerland – to the rank of the countries most interested in the signing of this treaty – cheerfully rubs. Therefore, its hands. However, In 2024, its exports of goods to the Mercosur countries exceeded 4 billion francs, which represents an increase of 32% compared to 2014. Although the current trade assessment is already very positive for itself. as soon as the new agreement is entry into force, 95% of Switzerland exports to the Mercosur countries will be completely free from customs duties. In return for the advantages which Swiss exporters will benefit. Switzerland grants Mercosur bilateral contingents for sensitive products from the agricultural sector, such as meat. According to the official press release. “most contingents are of small importance (less than 2% of total consumption), or correspond to current imports, and are therefore sustainable for Swiss agriculture” 3.

“Grand” agreement in sight

As for the agreement concluded at the end europe -mercosur, risk agreements – of 2024 between the EU. the Mercosur countries, after almost five chandeliers of negotiations, it must still be ratified by each of the South American parliaments, those of the 27 EU members, and be approved by the EU Council and the European Parliament. Nevertheless. certain parts of this agreement could come into force provisionally with the only signatures of the Supra-European institution and its South American partner. If it was definitively approved. it would be one of the free trade treaties exercising the most important impact at the international level: 700 million people, in countries representing almost a quarter of world GDP. However, the last word has not yet been said. Several European governments (including France, Austria and Poland) oppose the current version of the agreement, while others may abstain. A minimum of four countries bringing together 35% of the EU population is enough to block the agreement.

Important social europe -mercosur, risk agreements – actors have been demonstrating for years their opposition open to this treaty which they consider to be “a toxic agreement for farmers. the environment and social rights here [en Europe] as in the Mercosur countries. ” Many social movements have summoned a demonstration in the European district of Brussels. where the headquarters of the European Commission is located for September 4, 2025. Noting the fact that “certain governments [de l’UE] try to conclude the agreement with an annex to the climate. supposed to respond to criticism “, the organizers of the demonstration believe, however, that” this annex would absolutely not change the real impacts on the environment, human rights and agriculture, as long as in the countries of Mercosur “.

Social anger swells

In mid-July. four of the main European peasant organizations sent a letter to EU political leaders asking them to reject the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement in its current europe -mercosur, risk agreements – version. This agreement. they say, could cause “irreversible damage” to the vulnerable sectors of European agriculture and endanger the food sovereignty of the South American countries. The signatories of this letter represent a wide range of rural communities. active workers in the food and tourism sector of the European continent.

For years, their Latin American counterparts have continued to express their rejection of this treaty. Already in February 2025. the women of Via Campesina clearly occupied the field by claiming that, although “the diplomatic team of the Lula government proposed to revise certain aspects, but the essence of the neocolonial structure of the agreement has not changed”. This is why. they say, “it is urgent to become aware of the magnitude of the planned social regressions and also to analyze the threat to women’s rights, especially the peasants, as well as on waters and forests”. In addition. and just as europe -mercosur, risk agreements – worrying, “the commercial pillar of the agreement reproduces historic commercial asymmetries, [en privilégiant] The traditional exchange of mineral and agricultural raw materials from Mercosur for industrial products from Europe ”.

However, the opposition does not only come from rural social movements. The last week of July. the sole power station of workers in Brazil (CUT) and the union coordination of the South Cond (CCSCS) sent a letter to the delegation of the International Trade Commission (Inta) of the European Parliament to express their opposition to the current Mercosur-EU agreement. Written in collaboration with the European Confederation of Unions (CES). this letter denounces “the lack of transparency in negotiations, the lack of social participation, the use of abstruse language and the concrete risks that the agreement involves for workers, the regional industry and the environment”. The trade unionists consider that the treaty reinforces a neoliberal. neocolonial economic logic, by promoting large europe -mercosur, risk agreements – companies to the detriment of sustainable development and the sovereign integration of the countries of Mercosur. If he materializes. they add, this agreement will lead to deindustrialisation, to the reduction of national production and to greater dependence on imported European manufactured products.

After twenty-five years of discussion. will South America and Europe manage to swallow the bitter pill of an agreement disputed by several states and denounced by important social movements in these two continents? This question remains open. on an alarming background: that of the world offensive on customs duties launched in recent months by Donald Trump. Offensive that promotes a new commercial. political dynamic likely to play in favor of those who consider an EU-Mercosur “bad agreement” preferable to “no agreement”.

Tradition: Hans-Peter color.