Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) has rejected the possible trade pact between the EU and Mercosur, referring to the government’s program. ÖVP Minister of Economics, Martin Kocher, on the other hand, is open to a possible reassessment. Austria rejected the previous pact in parliament in 2019.
Due to the parliamentary rejection of the previous pact, the SPÖ and also the ÖGB demanded that Kocher should campaign in Brussels against the EU-Mercosur agreement. This applies, for example, to an informal council of trade ministers in Brussels on Thursday.
Kocher explained that the Council of Trade Ministers will only deal with the trade deal after all negotiations between the EU Commission and Mercosur have been finalised. “Only at this point can the final agreement be evaluated by Austria.”
According to Kocher, the talks at Commission level are taking place against the background of the new Brazilian government. It concerns the further procedure and possible further negotiations with the Mercosur states.
Kogler refers to government agreements with the ÖVP
The vice-chancellor of the turquoise-green government, Kogler, again and clearly rejected the pact on Wednesday – unlike the economy minister. The agreement will be rejected in the government’s agreement with the ÖVP, it said in a statement. It is also a matter of climate protection, said the Green leader.
ÖVP Minister of Agriculture against agreement
ÖVP Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig recently opposed the agreement. The ÖVP Boerenbond and the Agricultural Chamber, on the other hand, were always in revolt, while the ÖVP Economic Association, for example, was open. The FPÖ also criticized the pact on Wednesday.
The Austrian National Council had already opposed the agreement in 2019, as Kogler also recalled on Wednesday. Specifically, the EU sub-committee voted against the EU-Mercosur agreement in September with votes from all parties except NEOS, which remain in favour. This forced the government to say no to the EU-Mercosur agreement at EU level. The pact was actually discontinued, because decisions in the EU Council must be unanimous.
Brussels urges signature by July
Recently, it was said from Brussels that they wanted to close the agreement quickly – there was talk of signing it in July. Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans said in February that it was the “urgent wish” of European leaders to “conclude a swift conclusion” of the agreement. He was referring to statements made by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) during his current trip to Latin America – as well as French President Emmanuel Macron. Critical voices often came from France and Macron – so the deal should set EU standards in South America.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
