With the EU–Mercosur trade agreement, Europe is once again witnessing a rather poor political performance. And once again, a head of state posturing as the guardian of French agriculture – featuring Emmanuel Macron – plays a leading role. Publicly, several governments in the EU insist they will oppose the deal; privately, little suggests this will ultimately matter.
To understand what is unfolding around this transatlantic agreement—negotiated for more than 25 years between the European Union and the Mercosur countries—it is not enough to examine domestic political posturing. One must also look behind the scenes. Not only at the substance of the negotiations—who stands to lose, how and why—but at the strategies deployed by the agreement’s architects to push through a contested deal while avoiding political accountability.
The EU–Mercosur agreement provides for the gradual elimination of tariffs on 90% of goods traded between the two blocs. In theory, because it is not merely a trade deal but a broader cooperation agreement, it should require unanimous approval by all EU member states. That crucial detail is rarely highlighted by political leaders. European Commission officials privately acknowledge that it is common to hear heads of state voice strong opposition at home while expressing far more accommodating positions behind closed doors in Brussels.
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