EU-Mercosur: a free-trade zone that sends a message?
After more than 25 years of negotiations, the free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur is close to being finalised after a qualified majority of EU ambassadors approved it on Friday, overruling countries like France and Poland. Now, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen can put her signature to it with the partners in South America, and then the EU Parliament must also vote on it.
Counterweight to Trump's power quest
NRC is confident that the deal will put Europe in a stronger position:
“The Mercosur agreement may not be perfect, and its implementation must be closely monitored, but it is part of the vision of a stronger Europe. Throwing even more subsidies at European farmers without them contributing significantly to the EU's innovative strength is not part of this. A stronger connection with Latin America can provide a much needed geopolitical counterweight to Trump's power quest.”
Deepen relations to banish threat of war
El País wonders whether trade agreements can also have an impact on geopolitics:
“[The deal] is Europe's first response to Trump's continuation of the Monroe Doctrine and 'America First'. ... It remains to be seen whether trade agreements are the answer to a world in which security and defence once again dominate the geopolitical chessboard. The EU is convinced that trade can deepen relations and thus avert the threat of war. Europe and South America now have a unique opportunity to show that through negotiations and dialogue it is possible to integrate economies without sacrificing values.”
Staggering across the finish line
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung sees no reason to applaud:
“After running a marathon of a quarter of a century of negotiations, the EU is not crossing the finishing line as a valiant fighter. It is staggering across it, exhausted. … The agreement, aside from its undoubtedly substantial economic benefits, was meant to send a strong political signal. … But the EU is scarcely capable of doing so, blocked by farmers' protests against an agreement that is, admittedly, in some respects disadvantageous to them, and paralysed by fear of the successes of right-wing populists. In a new world order, the EU will not be able to hold its own against China and the United States.”
The more attractive partnership
The EU is a better partner than China, observes political scientist José Ignacio Torreblanca in El Mundo:
“China has brought advantages to Latin America: telecommunications links have improved, cheap consumer goods have been imported and the continent has earned high revenues from its raw materials. However, this opening was not reciprocal, which means that it has not helped Latin America with its industrialisation. … The agreement with the EU, by contrast, offers an opening up of commerce that could boost industry and good jobs in the region. And Europe will already save more than four billion euros in tariffs next year. … Now that the Trump administration is pushing Latin America and Europe back into colonialism, this deal is the best response. … We need deeds, not words, to counter Trump.”
A dilemma for Paris
Macron has opted for the lesser evil, Le Figaro finds:
“Macron was caught in a bind – either follow Europe and turn France against him, or defend France without this opposition blocking the agreement. He chose the latter option. Given the circumstances, this is the lesser evil, but it comes with a bitter humiliation: of all people, he, the champion of European sovereignty, must look on while the country for which he is responsible is forced to bow to the opposing decision of a qualified majority.”