An Emmanuel Macron loyalist has said a stalled EU–South America trade deal, opposed by the French government, does not close the door on links with Argentina.
French Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Séjourné held talks with the country’s President Javier Milei during which he hailed the potential for “constructive dialogue” and “cooperation” with Latin America independent of an EU-Mercosur trade agreement.
Mr Séjourné insisted the absence of a trade agreement did not “close the door” to “other things” in terms of trade and cooperation during a diplomatic charm offensive.
In a politically motivated move last month, Paris repeated its opposition to the EU-Mercosur deal in a bid to appease French farmers, who fear such free trade deals spell the end of their livelihoods.
Farmers have staged huge protests on the continent in recent weeks – including in France, Germany and Poland – in response to EU trade deals, red tape, low wages and crippling taxes.
Mr Séjourné told reporters in Buenos Aires: “France is opposed to signing the agreement as it stands because it no longer meets the demands of our time.”
He added: “The expectations of our fellow citizens… in terms of climate, the environment and health are legitimate and fair, and we must work to meet them and match the ambitions we have set ourselves with the Mercosur countries.”
Mercosur, or the Southern Common Market, is an economic and political bloc made up of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Bolivia is also expected to join as a full member soon. The grouping has signed deals with a number of countries, but deals with the EU, US and China remain elusive.
Mr Milei’s top diplomat, Diana Mondino, offered a bleak assessment of the EU-Mercosur deal during the press conference with Mr Séjourné on Monday (February 19), suggesting the treaty may be broken into parts.
Argentina’s foreign minister said a deal between the EU and Mercosur which would make everyone happy might not be possible so the South American trading bloc was mulling breaking the treaty into separate sections.
Ms Mondino said: “We lament that they do not see the enormous potential this would have for both parties to be able to grow.”
Mr Séjourné, in remarks quoted by the French news website 20 Minutes, said France’s cooperation with the Mercosur countries was also political.
He said: “They share a common DNA with the EU, which is democracy… [and are] solidly and durably anchored on the side of liberal democracies.”
The French foreign minister continued: “We will find other areas for discussion. We have bilateral work on both cooperation and investment.”
Mr Séjourné added there is a way through for “constructive dialogue” outside the EU-Mercosur agreement.
