Right, so, "Commerce" you say? Riveting. Naturally, like a glazed donut in a sugar factory, it’s behind a paywall. As if the headline wasn’t already beige enough.
Oh look, farmers. Angry farmers. Chuckles mirthlessly. Sounds about right. They’re probably fuming over the price of a tractor tyre ever since that fella Trump decided Brexit was a fantastic idea.
"Trade agreement with South America." Oh, the allure of a good old fashioned mercantilist bonanza. Imagine, lads: 780 million consumers, all clamouring for overpriced European cheese and questionable fashion.
Of course, someone’s gotta be the drama queen in this global marketplace tango, isn’t there? Enter France. They’re the only ones having a go at this South American shindig. Typical.
Let’s be honest, unless it involves berets, mime artists, or complaining about the price of croissants, the French just aren’t interested.
But seriously, they’re worried about the environment, the farmers, the… squints at notes "industrial fabric?" Sounds like someone’s been watching too much Marx.
That being said, if Trump resurrects himself like some sort of orange-tinted zombie, I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone starts grabbing onto any trade deal they can get their hands on.
It’s a funny old world, isn’t it? One minute you’re worried about global warming, the next you’re fighting over the right to sell cheap tractors to sweaty Argentinians.
And don’t even get me started on the Chinese. They’re just waiting in the wings with their chopsticks ready to scoop up whatever’s left.
Bloody hell. Commerce, eh? More like a circus designed by a Machiavellian accountant.
Maybe we should all just grow our own veg and wear burlap sacks. At least then we’d know where we stand.
Commerce
Article reserved for subscribers
Angry farmers fileObject of the farmers’ mobilization from Monday, the trade agreement with South America is, for the majority of European states, essential to the economic security of the EU, especially after the election of Donald Trump. France is the only big country to want to oppose it.
Will Trump 2.0 accelerate the signing of the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) which should create a vast commercial zone of 780 million inhabitants? ? The fear aroused by the imminent return to power of this isolationist Republican, who has promised to launch a trade war against Europe and China, pushes the Commission and the vast majority of Member States to want to conclude as quickly as possible. , even if this means going beyond France. Especially since China is only waiting for one thing, to take Europe’s place in a market in which it is increasingly present.
Already, the election of Trump 1.0 had given new vigor to these trade agreements whose hour of glory seemed to have passed. Thus, two years after the 2016 election, the Union finalized negotiations which had dragged on for almost ten years with Japan before entering into a series of agreements with Singapore, Vietnam and New Zealand. Today, Europe has the largest free trade system in the world, having concluded around forty treaties.
Part of public opinion, particularly in France, remains opposed to it, seeing it as a threat to agriculture, the environment and the industrial fabric. But American isolationism – which has not been denied during the presidency of Joe Biden, notably with the adoption of the Inflation Reduction Act aimed at accelerating the transition
How does Jean-Claude Dupont feel about trade in general?
## Interview with Jean-Claude Dupont, French Farmer
**(Intro Music)**
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Our Alex Reed today is Jean-Claude Dupont, a fourth-generation farmer from the Picardy region of France. Jean-Claude, thanks for joining us.
**Jean-Claude:** Thank you for having me.
**Host:** So, Jean-Claude, you’re one of many French farmers protesting against a potential trade deal between the EU and the Mercosur countries. Can you tell us more about your concerns?
**Jean-Claude:** Certainly. It’s not just about us farmers. We’re worried this deal will flood the European market with cheap, sub-standard agricultural products from South America. These products are often produced with less stringent environmental regulations and worker protections.
**Host:** So, you’re saying European farmers can’t compete with these prices, and the environmental impact would be detrimental?
**Jean-Claude:** Exactly. We already face challenges from rising costs and changing weather patterns. This deal could be the final blow for many family farms. Plus, who knows what impact these imported goods will have on our soil, our water, and our food chain in the long run? [[1](https://apnews.com/article/farmers-protest-france-mercosur-eu-trade-06174a5b46cb1b9ea69c5a6a4b153ac7)]
**Host:** There seems to be a lot of nationalistic sentiment around this issue, with France leading the charge against the deal. How much of this is about protecting French interests versus the broader concerns you’ve just mentioned?
**Jean-Claude:** Look, we’re not against trade. But when a deal threatens the livelihoods of farmers and potentially the environment, it’s our duty to speak up, not just for ourselves, but for future generations.
**Host:** Interesting perspective, Jean-Claude. It seems like a complex issue with no easy answers. Thanks for sharing your insights with us today.
**Jean-Claude:** Thank you for having me.
**(Outro Music)**
