[Copy] For the approval of the trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, all countries must agree. The negotiations had been going on for 20 years and were consolidated in June 2019, with mutual benefits in sales and purchases of products. Five days ago, France opposed the agreement, arguing that Brazil does not comply with environmental rules and has weak supervision. A lobby of European producers presses against the agreement.
The French government commissioned a study in which it concludes that deforestation could increase due to Brazil's largest exports. the French Minister of Agriculture, Julien Denormandie, declared that "as it is, things are clear: NO to Mercosur." Among the main points, the study in question says the rate of deforestation can increase at an annual rate of 5% in the six years after the implementation of the agreement focused on meat production, the destruction could reach 700,000 hectares and the CO2 generation would be between 4.7 million and 6.8 million tons.
In a joint note, the ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture responded to the French government on several points. The Brazilian government understands that there is a need to deepen knowledge about the Brazilian reality and that “the said Agreement does not represent any threat to the environment, human health and social rights. On the contrary, it reinforces multilateral commitments and aggregates the best practices in the matter ”.
According to the note, the arguments were not based on technical criteria when it says that beef production is linked to deforestation and putting in doubt the country's efforts to combat climate change. It also questions the aspect that livestock expansion is always linked to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. “From 2004 to 2012, deforestation in the region called the Legal Amazon fell 83%, while agricultural production rose 61%. In the same period, the bovine herd grew by more than 8 million heads, reaching 212 million in 2012. These data are part of a historical trend of intensification of Brazilian agriculture and the resulting productivity gains, in line with environmental preservation ”, says.
In this regard, it says that the increase in production is linked to technology and not to the use of new areas and that cattle production follows a strict system of traceability when exporting to the EU and that the agreement will only increase the requirements and standards of environmental quality.
“The report also ignores the progressive strengthening of environmental legislation in the country. Brazil was a pioneer in conservation policies, with the implementation of its first Forest Code in 1934. Thanks to this longstanding effort, over 66% of the Brazilian territory is covered by native vegetation. Cultivation is limited to about 30% of the territory, of which 8% is dedicated to agriculture in the country and around 22% to livestock, according to Embrapa Territorial. This scenario elevates Brazil to the category of environmental potential ”, highlights another section.
The ministries also emphasize that Mercosur seeks to implement a modernizing agenda with a view to reconciling increased competitiveness/productivity with high standards of environmental sustainability.