Belgium abstained from the vote due to a lack of consensus among its governments. The Walloon government opposes the agreement, while in Flanders, the N-VA strongly supports it, though coalition partner CD&V seeks more assurances for farmers’ competitiveness. This division is reflected in the varying reactions from Belgian politicians.
Flemish Minister-President Mathias Diependaele stated, “To sustain our prosperity, we need free trade. That’s why I have always been a strong advocate for the Mercosur trade agreement. Mercosur can and will strengthen Flanders, as demonstrated by the CETA trade agreement with Canada.” The liberal opposition party in Flanders, Open VLD, also expressed support.
Conversely, French-speaking politicians uniformly reject the free trade deal. Walloon Minister-President Adrien Dolimont and Agriculture Minister Anne-Catherine Dalcq (MR) described it as a “disastrous day for European agriculture,” arguing that it was approved despite significant challenges to the profitability of local businesses and the quality of food for European consumers.
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