Macron ignores Mercoul-EU in Brazil and promotes green economy with Lula

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, arrives in Brazil this Tuesday (26) to make a tour cross country. Macron intends to address topics such as “green economy”, biodiversity and the bilateral agenda with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT). On the other hand, they should not discuss the agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, of which Macron has already shown himself to be a great opponent.

The presidents of France and Brazil have already exchanged barbs over the treaty, which has been negotiated for more than 20 years. While Lula tries to unlock the negotiations, Macron has already said that the agreement would be “impossible”. In his speech during COP 28, in Dubai, last year, the Frenchman publicly criticized the agreement, which – if closed – will become the largest between blocs in the world.

“I am against the Mercosur-EU agreement, because I think it is an agreement completely contradictory to what it [Lula] is doing in Brazil and what we are doing […] It does not take into account the biodiversity and climate within it. It is an old-fashioned trade agreement that dismantles tariffs,” said the French president. The topic has already generated long conversations between Lula and Macron, but the head of the Executive in France seems irreducible about his opposition.

Experts say that Macron’s opposition to the agreement with Mercosur is protectionism. France is considered the largest agricultural producer in the European Union and fears losing market share to South American products. Furthermore, Macron has been suffering from unpopularity among the French and does not want to displease his electorate. This year, a wave of demonstrations spread across Europe among farmers who were against the agreement. Since then, negotiations have been deadlocked.

In addition to this issue, Lula and Macron also differ on topics that are relevant in the current geopolitical context. Since the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine, France has provided support to Kyiv and imposed a series of sanctions against Moscow. The strategy was taken with the intention of putting pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to put an end to the conflict.

Brazil, on the other hand, was against such measures. Lula justifies that Brazil, historically, is against embargoes, because, in his view, they only harm the population and do not affect those who provoke war. Recently, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, stated that attempts to resolve the conflict in Europe had turned into a “monologue”.

“There were many initiatives promoted by the European Union for peace projects [entre Rússia e Ucrânia]. But it only has one side [a Ucrânia]. Then it gets difficult. It’s not a dialogue, it’s a monologue. I think that for there to be an understanding, for something to be reached, both sides must always be present”, said Vieira when defending the inclusion of Russia in the peace talks about the war that Putin started.

Without discussion about an agreement with Mercosur, the economy and bilateral relations gain weight

In order to avoid greater noise, the agenda between the presidents of Brazil and France must be guided mainly by economic issues and the bilateral relationship. As reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are around 30 memoranda under discussion and half of them should be finalized at the meeting between Macron and Lula in Brasília. In addition to agreements in the area of ​​biodiversity and sustainable economy, presidents must close partnerships in the area of ​​strategy and defense.

In Rio de Janeiro, Macron will visit the Itaguaí naval base, where French-designed submarines are being built. There is an expectation of expanding the partnership between the two countries for the construction of submarines, initially sealed in 2008.

Issues related to combating “fake news”. According to the federal government, the two countries will discuss the exchange and mutual protection of information and cooperation with the intention of combating fake news.

Macron also brings with him a group of around 40 businesspeople with the intention of expanding business relations between the two countries and increasing French investment in Brazil. The Europeans’ proposals must also focus on sustainability and the “green economy”.

The president of France will also visit São Paulo. He will meet with businesspeople and participate in an economic forum at the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (Fiesp).

Lula will try to promote his narrative about deforestation in the Amazon

During his visit to Brazil, Macron will also visit the Foz do Rio Amazonas, in Belém (PA), and should discuss the environmental challenges faced by the region, as well as Brazil’s plans for COP30, which the capital of Pará will host in 2025.

Lula, on the other hand, intends to show Macron how the Amazon region “goes beyond a large forest”. The French president has criticized Lula in recent months in the sense that Brazil has had difficulty protecting the Amazon region from deforestation. On the other hand, the PT member defends that there should be sustainable growth as long as the local population has a source of income.

“Lula wants to show Macron the complexity of the Amazon reality and the fact that the region is not just a large forest, but also a place with a large population that depends on the Amazon for its survival. [Queremos discutir] how to work with these populations so that they can have a source of income, a dignified life, but, at the same time, respecting and preserving biodiversity and the forest in general”, informed the ambassador and secretary of Europe and America North of Itamaraty, Maria Luisa Escorel de Moraes.

Before coming to Brazil, however, Macron will visit French Guiana. France owns about 1% of the Amazon rainforest due to its overseas territory in South America, French Guiana. Brazil and the South American country still share approximately 700km of border.