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  • 19-01-2021 17:38

EU/Presidency: Left-wing parties ask government to reject EU-Mercosul accord


Lisbon, Jan. 19, 2021 (Lusa) - ​​​​​​​Portuguese left-wing parties the Left Bloc, Communists, Greens and independent member Cristina Rodrigues asked the Portuguese government on Tuesday to reject the agreement between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur, warning of the "serious" environmental and social impacts it will entail.

The four draft resolutions were discussed today in the European Affairs Committee, together with a draft resolution from the People-Animals-Nature party (PAN) calling on the government to ensure compliance with environmental criteria.

Climate action, food safety, labour protection, public health and agriculture were at the root of the criticisms, in line with concerns already raised by several EU member states - notably France, Austria, the Netherlands, Ireland, Luxembourg and Belgium - members of the European Parliament (EP) and civil society organisations.

In her speech, Cristina Rodrigues highlighted the situation in Amazonia, "which has not been calculated properly". She criticised that Brazil does not have to take any position on the increase in fires in the region which, due to "the expansion of livestock production, may allow the destruction of indigenous reserves by companies in the mining sector".

Over and above these issues, he added, there was "unfair competition", particularly between farmers from both blocs, "because Mercosur products can lower production costs," pointing out that "the environmental cost [of the agreement] will be much higher than the economic benefits it could bring.

Fabíola Cardoso (Left Bloc) pointed to consequences such as the "very significant" increase in greenhouse gas emissions, dangers for democracy and indigenous populations, as well as concerns in the agricultural sector, with "the entry of these agricultural products at prices that could "put at risk" the competitiveness of agricultural producers, "mainly small producers and those who opt for more extensive production strategies".

She also raised doubts about the "low democratic transparency" of the process and "parallel justice systems", given that the agreement "provides that large companies can use the courts to sue states".

Mariana Silva, of the Greens, stressed that the agreement makes the countries of both blocs "move away" from the commitments established by the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and also pointed out the need for "more transparency and participation" in the discussion, to negotiate "a fair, sustainable and participatory agreement that respects climate action, nature protection, biodiversity and human rights, based on the principles of social and environmental justice".

"Portugal, if it signs this agreement as it stands, will be aligning itself with the regression of civilisational achievements, and may also be the object of corporate blackmail and the target of lawsuits demanding compensation from companies, if they consider that favourable conditions are not being created for their investment and obtaining present and future profits," she said.

In agreement with the remaining interventions, Bruno Dias (Communist), warned of the impact that this treaty could have on national production, "in particular on small and medium-sized producers".

"There has been a policy over the years that has decimated farming sectors in the country," he said, referring to the meat and milk markets.

Inês Sousa Real, the PAN parliamentary leader, asked, above all, for "compliance with environmental criteria," and criticised "the gross violation" of the human rights of indigenous peoples.

She said the EU had "fallen short" of its responsibilities, and the agreement with Mercosur "should be a great opportunity" to show that European consumers do not want to consume products that violate these issues.

In the debate, Isabel Meireles (PSD) and Edite Estrela (PS) agreed with the doubts and reservations regarding "less democratic countries". Still, they recalled that this agreement "guarantees a very positive global balance".

They both called for the agreement to be concluded, with Isabel Meireles stressing that it was the "biggest trade agreement in the history of the EU" and Edite Estrela said that the process, "very participatory and transparent", would ensure implementation of the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

The trade agreement, reached in June 2019 between the EU and the Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay), is due to come into force later this year. It is now up to the European countries to ratify it, a responsibility that the Portuguese foreign minister said, on 7 January, was up to rotating presidency of the council of the EU, which Portugal assumed on 1 January and which will extend until 30 June 2021.

JAYG/ADB // ADB.

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