The Belgian Government will not support the EU-Mercosur trade agreement without strict "mirror clauses", outgoing Agriculture Minister David Clarinval announced on Thursday.
"Without binding mirror clauses, we cannot agree to the Mercosur deal," Clarinval (MR) said during a plenary session in the Chamber.
The EU-Mercosur free trade agreement, involving Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia, has been under negotiation for over 20 years and may soon be concluded.
Under pressure from its farmers, France seeks to form a blocking minority in the EU Council, while countries like Germany and Spain are pushing for a resolution. Farmers protested against the agreement in Brussels on Wednesday.
MR's Clarinval stated that Belgium will not agree to deal under the current terms. The minister demands the inclusion of mirror clauses to ensure identical production standards on both sides. This stance was praised by Benoît Piedboeuf (MR), who stressed the need for fair competition.
François De Smet (DéFI) argued that this stance equates to abstention. "No, I want you to join a blocking minority," he urged, noting that Flemish nationalists N-VA, who support the deal, remained silent on the matter.
Rajae Maouane (Ecolo) argued that mirror clauses alone were insufficient and that the treaty has additional issues. Benoît Lutgen (Les Engagés) expressed disappointment that Belgium did not prioritise this issue during its rotating Presidency of the EU Council in the first half of the year.
