Brazilian president asked the French homologist to abandon protectionism. Macron countered proposing a common phytosanitary clause. Leaders also disagreed with positioning on Ukraine.
Lula asked on Thursday (05/06) from his French homologist Emmanuel Macron that he does not oppose the trade agreement negotiated between the European Union and Mercosur. France has rejected the ratification of the treaty due to the fear that a flow of lower cost agricultural products can press European farmers.
“I will assume the presidency of Mercosur on June 6, for six months. I want to tell you that I will not leave the presidency of Mercosur without concluding the agreement with the EU. So, my dear [Macron]open your heart to close this agreement, ”Lula said during a press conference alongside Macron in Paris.
Lula landed in the French capital for the first state visit of a Brazilian president to the country in 13 years. This is also the eighth time the two leaders meet.
“This agreement would be the strongest answer that our regions could offer from the uncertainty caused by the return of unilateralism and tariff protectionism,” he added, referring to the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.
Macron, however, argued that the six months mentioned by Lula could be used to “improve” the pact, but not to sign it the way it is.
“We have six months to improve it, with reciprocal clauses, because the agreement as it is is not good for the weather or fair [para os agricultores]”, disse Macron.
“I don’t know how to explain to my farmers that at a time when I am asking them to comply with more standards, [e no outro] I am opening my large -scale market for people who do not fulfill anything, ”continued the French president.“ It will not be better for the climate, but we will completely destroy our agriculture. ”
Macron defends reciprocity clause
Macron suffered more than one wave of intense farmers’ demonstrations against the free trade agreement. The dispute even generated a diplomatic noise after the CEO of the Carrefour group in France, Alexandre Bompard, to say that the retailer would no longer buy meat from Mercosur because the product did not meet the European requirements.
The executive had to retreat from the statement and apologize to the Brazilian government.
Alongside Lula, Macron defended a reciprocity clause, which would apply the same phytosanitary standards in both blocks, and a “brake” clause, which would paralyze part of the agreement if a specific sector was destabilized as a result of a competition considered unfair.
Leaders disagreed with topics such as Mercosur-UE agreement and war in Ukraine | Christophe Petit Tesson/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
The Brazilian countered that protectionism is a “thing of the past” and expressed surprise that the Europeans, who had been at the forefront of free trade a few decades ago, are now the advocates of commercial barriers. He also reinforced Brazilian concern to combat deforestation.
Although the terms have already been accepted by the European Commission last December, the text of the Mercosur-UE agreement still needs to be reviewed legally, translated, signed and chancelled by the members of the blocks.
To be approved, the agreement needs the support of at least 15 of the 27 EU states.
War in Ukraine and Gaza
The clash between Lula and Macron reveals the topics that the two presidents dispute, despite a consolidated relationship created even before the election that led the Brazilian to his third term in the Plateau.
Among the topics is the stance on the war between Russia and Ukraine, which Lula condemns, but without directly accusing Moscow.
At the meeting, the Brazilian president said he was committed to intermediating peace between countries. Already Macron urged Lula to press Moscow. He argued that the Russian side is the aggressor and that this fact needs to be taken into account to decide the end of conflicts.
About the conflict in Gaza, Lula again accused Israel of performing a “genocide.” “It is a genocide premeditated from an far -right government that is crashing a war against the interests of its own people,” he said.
Macron, on the other hand, did not deal with the conflict under the same term. In May, he had already said that it is not up to a “political leader to use the term, but it would be up to historians to do so when it was time.”
Bilateral agreements
Presidents also used the meeting to sign 20 bilateral instruments in areas such as environment and safety.
Among the agreed projects is the Submarine Development Program, announced by Planalto as “the largest defense cooperation initiative ever undertaken” by Brazil. “Its legacy is to guarantee Brazilian sovereignty about our vast maritime space, as well as building one of the most modern shipyards in the world in Itaguaí, Rio de Janeiro,” said Lula.
The two governments also discuss a new aircraft order for Brazil and the Federal Police of both coordinate efforts to combat trafficking, illegal mining and deforestation in the Amazon region.
Two other acts signed on Thursday focus on cooperation for low-carbon hydrogen production and maritime decarbonization.
Originally published by DW on 05/06/2025
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2025/06/05/em-paris-lula-pressiona-macron-a-fechar-acordo-mercosul-ue/
