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Brussels – The Spanish Authorities’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Meals, Luis Planas, celebrated this Monday the “nice information” that was the closure of the settlement between the EU and the Mercosur nations final Friday and despatched a reassuring message to these hesitant in regards to the pact in Europe: “We’re an agri-food energy and we should always not concern commerce openness.”
Regardless of France’s sturdy opposition, the President of the European Fee, Ursula von der Leyen, closed the commerce settlement with the Mercosur nations in Montevideo on Friday, which the European Union has been negotiating with this area for 25 years.
“It’s not simply an financial alternative, it’s additionally a political necessity,” the pinnacle of the European Fee highlighted in an announcement with out questions alongside the rotating President of Mercosur and chief of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou, to announce the settlement that had already been outlined the day earlier than by the International Ministers of Mercosur (Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay) with the Commerce Commissioner, Maros Sefcovic.
Spain is a agency defender of the settlement, as demonstrated by the Spanish minister within the subject, who’s collaborating as we speak and tomorrow within the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers assembly in Brussels, the place there are additionally gatherings of farmers and ranchers against the settlement.
“I perceive that there could also be issues, but when we study the contingents which were adopted in relation to delicate merchandise, they’re of a dimension that doesn’t alter the group market,” Planas defended in opposition to its detractors, amongst whom are nations like France or Poland, which argue inequalities for group agri-livestock producers.
On this regard, Planas emphasised that “if there may be any doubt or concern from the sector,” there are additionally “safeguard clauses that may be utilized even to the contingents themselves, as occurred in 2018 with beef already coming from Mercosur.”
“In relation to commerce agreements, we should not lose the actual perspective and, above all, of the long run. We’re an agri-food energy and we don’t have to concern commerce openness,” the Spanish minister identified, who additionally sees a “strategic” profit for Spain within the pact.
Planas defended that it’s a “balanced” settlement and that the “benefits” introduced for sectors reminiscent of wine, olive oil, pork, or citrus fruits, amongst many others, are “crucial for Spain.”
“There may be a variety of mythology round Mercosur,” lamented the minister, who reminded that “the vital factor is to proceed shifting ahead and progressing,” a path wherein this settlement represents “a step ahead.” (December 9)
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