POLISH PM MOCKS OPPOSITION TO MERCOSUR DEAL- Tusk says opposing EU countries will not stop it from being adopted
European Union countries opposed to a trade accord with South America’s Mercosur bloc will not be able to stop it being adopted, but are working to find solutions to lessen its negative effects, Poland’s Prime Minister said on Wednesday (Sept. 3).
The European Commission was set to present its deal with Mercosur for approval on Wednesday, hoping to win over the main critics of the deal – France, Poland and European farmers – with promises of safeguards.
Speaking at a defence industry exhibition in Kielce, Donald Tusk said it was then essential to have a defence measure in place to protect EU agricultural sectors like beef.
Under the deal, Mercosur would remove duties on EU agriculture-based products, such as the 17% on wines and 20-35% on spirits. For more sensitive farm products, the EU would offer increased quotas, including 99,000 metric tons more beef, while Mercosur will give the EU a duty-free 30,000-ton quota for cheeses.
The Commission and proponents like Germany and Spain say the deal offers a route away from reliance on China, especially for critical minerals, and relief from the impact of tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
European farmers have repeatedly protested that a deal would lead to cheap imports of commodities, notably beef, that do not meet the EU’s green and food safety standards. The European Commission says the EU’s standards will not be relaxed.
