*Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron have committed to work towards the ratification of the proposed trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur, the regional trade bloc comprising Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia. The latest draft of the free trade agreement (FTA) was finalised in December last year, but several European governments have maintained their opposition to the deal. France is among the fiercest critics of the FTA, but the latest call between Lula and Macron suggests that there could be some potential for the French government to reconsider its stance. In June the French agriculture ministry signed a statement criticising the proposed FTA in its current form, demanding additional clauses to safeguard sensitive European agricultural produce. Brazil currently holds the six-month rotating presidency of Mercosur, and Lula has previously listed the ratification of the EU-Mercosur deal as one of the bloc’s priorities for the second half of 2025. However, it is unclear to what extent Brazil and the other Mercosur countries might be willing to add new clauses to appease the French farming sector.
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