00:00The European Commission is set on signing the Mercosur agreement
00:05before the end of the year, increasing pressure on France to lift its opposition.
00:10Supporters of the deal have grown impatient after 25 years of negotiations
00:15between the Mercosur countries and the Commission.
00:17A Commission spokesperson stressed the urgency of reaching a deal
00:21due to a shift in the global geoeconomic landscape.
00:24The Commission's expectation remains to sign the EU-Mercosur agreement
00:28by the end of 2025, subject to the completion of Council procedures.
00:33While it is for the Council to decide on next steps,
00:37in the view of the Commission, signing the deal now is a matter of crucial importance
00:41economically, diplomatically and geopolitically.
00:45French farmers have increasingly expressed their anger at President Emmanuel Macron,
00:50stressing that the deal would expose them to unfair competition from Latin American imports.
00:56France has called for a delay to the December deadline,
01:00arguing that the right conditions are not yet in place for the vote to proceed.
01:04EU lawmakers will vote Tuesday on a safeguard clause proposed by the Commission,
01:09with some MEPs adding amendments on reciprocity.
01:13EU lawmakers will vote Tuesday on the
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