France remains the spearhead of the group of European countries that oppose the trade pact, considering that it creates unfair competition for their producers and does not ensure compliance with environmental and social standards equivalent to those required in the European Union.
The French President, Emmanuel Macron, has been forceful in this regard, stressing the need to reformulate the current text. "We have six months to improve it, with reciprocal clauses, because the agreement as it stands is neither good for the climate nor fair to farmers."Macron recently declared. His government insists that the treaty must be revised to include safeguards that protect European farmers, who operate under much stricter regulations than their South American competitors.
Along the same lines, the French Minister of Agriculture has ruled out a short-term signature, stating that "When we impose rules and standards on ourselves, our trading partners must do the same; otherwise, we shoot ourselves in the foot and harm our farmers and businesses.".
This firm position has been officially joined by Austria. The Federal Chancellor, Karl Newhammer, reiterated his country's unwavering position, recalling that the Austrian Parliament had already established a mandate in 2019 requiring the government to veto the agreement. "Our position has not changed", Nehammer emphasized, justifying the rejection on the basis of environmental risks and the negative impact it would have on the agricultural sector.
The opposition front has been strengthened with the support of Hungary, who has expressed his "great concern" before a pact that considers "unbalanced to the detriment of European agricultural interests"Although keeping a more discreet profile, diplomatic sources confirm that the Hungarian government shares the arguments of France and Austria, which focus on protecting its agriculture and complying with environmental regulations.
This renewed blockade comes at a time of strong pressure within the EU to push through the agreement, seen as a key strategic tool against global protectionist trends. However, resistance led by France, and now supported by Austria and Hungary, with the support of major agricultural and environmental organizations, has stalled its ratification. For the blockade to be effective in the EU Council, France would need to build a blocking minority which includes at least four Member States representing 35% of the Community population, a complex objective given the support of powers such as Germany, Italy and Spain to the agreement.
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