EU-Mercosur agreement: an opportunity Europe cannot miss

The images of the parade in Beijing are etched in everyone’s mind: images of autocratic powers allied to build a new world order where their own interests prevail and Western primacy declines.

We have often spoken about how essential it is for the European Union, especially in the age of Trump, to assume a political role capable of inserting itself into this global dynamic and avoiding the overshadowing of Western democracy. Now there is an important opportunity to show that we exist in the world of Trump, Putin, and Xi Jinping.

For years, negotiations have been underway on the trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur (Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil). This agreement brings significant economic benefits for the European Union, particularly the increase in exports of pharmaceuticals, automobiles, and machinery, and above all, it would demonstrate that the European Union exists and plays a fundamental geopolitical role in the world.

There have been resistances to this agreement, especially from the agricultural sector and environmentalists. However, in the new text approved by the European Commission, greater guarantees are provided both for agricultural producers and for environmental concerns. The European Commission has committed to adopting a legal act to protect the European agricultural sector, particularly regarding imports of chicken and beef.

To remain divided on this dossier would be fatal and detrimental.

The countries that had shown the greatest reservations, including France, Poland, and Italy, now seem more open thanks to the changes introduced in the new draft agreement. We must ensure that this openness prevails and that a healthy vision of the European Union’s general interests takes precedence over modest concerns that have, for the most part, already been overcome.