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France Sets Red Lines on EUMercosur as Farmers Call Toulouse Protest

France conditions any support on enforceable farm safeguards, mirror standards and tougher checks.

Overview

  • Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard said France will not sign any pact that would harm its farmers and detailed three non‑negotiable conditions, including a dedicated agricultural safeguard, mirror measures on production standards and tighter sanitary controls.
  • Genevard acknowledged unresolved operational questions on the safeguard mechanism, citing who would decide and verify, how quickly it could be triggered and which criteria would apply.
  • The FNSEA and Jeunes Agriculteurs called a mobilisation for Wednesday, 12 November, in Toulouse during Emmanuel Macron’s visit, with union leaders seeking a meeting and the FNSEA president expected at the Élysée this week.
  • Macron described himself as “rather positive” about the agreement during a stop in Belém, a stance farm leaders denounced as a reversal given concerns over increased imports such as beef, sugar and honey at reduced tariffs.
  • France signaled it has leverage within the EU process and noted that Poland, Austria, the Netherlands, Ireland and Hungary share similar reservations about the current terms.