The European Commission has a knack for bringing the EU's trade deal with the four Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay) to the fore just as France, where it faces strong criticism, is mired in political crisis. "Given the uncertainties in French politics, there may never be a good time," cautioned Pascal Canfin, Renew MEP.

On Wednesday, September 3, the Commission presented the legislative proposal required to formalize this free trade treaty, just five days before a confidence vote in the Assemblée Nationale on September 8, which Prime Minister François Bayrou is unlikely to survive. Nine months earlier, on December 6, 2024, when Commission president Ursula von der Leyen traveled to Montevideo, Uruguay, to mark, alongside her South American counterparts, the culmination of 25 years of negotiations on this agreement, lawmakers had just passed a motion of no confidence against Michel Barnier's government.

At a time when Donald Trump's United States is raising tariffs and China is growing increasingly assertive beyond its borders, the Commission is seeking to secure markets for European businesses and ensure stable partnerships. "It is our responsibility to safeguard our prosperity," officials in Brussels argued, adding that the agreement with Mercosur should offset about one third of the losses caused by Washington's tariffs.

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