France conditions Mercosur agreement

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian subordinated yesterday the signing of the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur to accept the Paris agreement on the protection of the environment.

The Drian, at a press conference that he gave in Brasilia, said that France would subordinate the ratification of the agreement to three requirements: the implementation of the agreement of Paris on the climate change, the respect of the French regulation in matter of the environment and health and the protection of its environment. Farmers in sensitive sectors.

The French requirements are one of the difficulties for the entry into force of the agreement, old claim and priority of the Mercosur countries, which must be ratified by the congresses of European countries and Mercosur to be valid.

The French Foreign Minister admitted the restrictions in his country's agreement and said the French government would take its time before ratifying it. "The conditions of the same thing have faced resistance in France, both from farmers, who fear an invasion of food from Mercosur., As ecologists, for whom the treaty may encourage deforestation of Brazilian Amazon looking for new arable land.

According to the Chancellor, one of the French conditions is the approval of guarantees that protect French agricultural producers in sensitive areas, which fear the predatory competition of major global producers of food products such as Brazil and Brazil. 39; Argentina.

careful Drian asked for environmental standards.