An Elysée official stated that Macron and the government have determined there is “unanimous political rejection” of the trade deal in France and that “the benefits of the agreement are not such that they would justify putting agricultural sectors at risk.”
The agreement has been consistently opposed by various political parties in France and has encountered strong resistance from farmers. On Thursday, tractors once again made their way to Paris to protest the deal, gathering in front of the National Assembly, the country’s lower chamber.
France appreciated the EU’s recent efforts to make the deal more appealing — including enhanced agricultural safeguards and new funding commitments in the bloc’s long-term budget — but emphasized that these measures have not yet been finalized and implemented.
The announcement occurs just hours before a crucial vote by member countries on the deal.
Alongside Poland, France has been the deal’s most vocal opponent, though these countries do not have the numbers to block it on Friday, particularly if Italy supports it.
To approve the accord, which has been over two decades in the making and would establish a free-trade zone encompassing more than 700 million people, a qualified majority of 15 of the EU’s 27 countries representing 65 percent of the bloc’s population must support it.
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