The German Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) has specified conditions for approval of the EU’s free trade agreement with the South American confederation of states Mercosur. “The federal government will only agree to a Mercosur agreement if sustainable development is firmly and bindingly anchored in it,” said Özdemir. “We have also made that clear to the EU Commission, which is conducting the negotiations.” Different signals have recently come from the Austro government.
To anchor sustainability, Özdemir continued: “For me, that means stopping the deforestation of the rainforest.” This is not only ecological, but also economic “madness”.
On Saturday evening, the German Minister of Agriculture, together with his party colleague, Economics Minister Robert Habeck and a business delegation, set off on a trip lasting several days to Brazil and Colombia. Economic relations and climate cooperation with both countries are to be strengthened. The EU has been negotiating a free trade agreement with Mercosur for years.
After the election of the new Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the door to protecting the Amazon rainforest, which is so valuable for the global climate, opened once more, according to Özdemir. “Now we have to go through this door together with Brazil. More sustainability and strategic strengthening of our trade relations – with the Mercosur agreement we have the chance that both go hand in hand. And of course the high level of protection of our domestic agriculture must also be guaranteed .”
Different signals have recently come from the Austrian federal government. Green leader, Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler reiterated Austria’s “no”, which was also recorded in the government program. In addition, there is also a parliamentary resolution in Austria from 2019, which obliges the government to say no to the EU. Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig from the ÖVP opposed the agreement, farmers are traditional opponents.
Economics Minister Martin Kocher (ÖVP) may want to carry out a reassessment if any negotiations between the EU Commission and the Mercosur countries bring results. Other business representatives from the ÖVP, the NEOS, the Federation of Industry and the Chamber of Commerce also want the pact. On the other hand are the SPÖ, FPÖ, trade unions, the Chamber of Labor and numerous non-governmental organizations such as Greenpeace.
The German Minister of Agriculture, Özdemir, said that there was a spirit of optimism in Brazil and Colombia. “The new, reform-oriented governments are important partners for us on our common path to a sustainable transformation of our global agricultural and food systems.” Bilateral cooperation should be intensified. “We need future partnerships for sustainable agriculture. In Brazil we want to expand the agricultural policy dialogue, especially to stop the deforestation of the rainforests. Colombia is committed to a massive reduction in pesticides in agriculture and we will support it with our scientific expertise.”