Lors des dernières sessions plénières à Strasbourg, ASSETEL a interviewé Oihane Agirregoitia, députée européenne du groupe Renew Europe. Ingénieure industrielle de formation, forte d'une solide expérience en innovation et développement organisationnel, elle est actuellement vice-présidente de la délégation pour les relations avec le Mercosur.
In this interview, she reflects on the political and economic implications of the EU- Mercosur trade agreement —the largest free trade area project in the world— and outlines the European Parliament’s role in ensuring that trade expansion does not undermine environmental standards, labour rights, or the viability of the European primary sector.
L'interconnexion de l'industrie, de l'énergie et du commerce
Agirregoitia souligne que, dans le contexte géopolitique actuel, aucune politique ne peut être menée isolément. Son travail au sein des commissions des transports et du tourisme (TRAN) et de l'industrie, de la recherche et de l'énergie (ITRE) est directement lié à son rôle de chef de file au sein de la délégation du Mercosur. Pour elle, les accords commerciaux ne se limitent pas aux seuls échanges, mais visent une véritable connectivité stratégique.
“Everything is related. If we want to gain industrial muscle and competitiveness against giants like China and the United States, connectivity is strategic. You are either connected, or you are out of the game,” she explains. For regions with a strong industrial fabric, such as the Basque Country, the Mercosur agreement represents a gateway for the automotive and industrial sectors to markets with which there are deep historical and cultural ties.
Résoudre la crise du secteur primaire : politique ou blocage
L'un des points les plus délicats de notre conversation a porté sur la réaction aux récentes manifestations agricoles qui ont mobilisé des tracteurs à travers l'Europe. La députée européenne reconnaît la légitimité des craintes du secteur primaire, actuellement en difficulté, mais elle estime que bloquer l'accord n'est peut-être pas la solution adéquate.
“Fears are legitimate and the primary sector is suffering, but perhaps the solution is not Mercosur, or at least not only Mercosur”, reflects. She points out that issues such as generational renewal and production sustainability are structural problems that should be addressed through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and modernization, rather than through commercial isolation.
Regarding the specific controversy over beef and hormones, Agirregoitia is categorical: “There has been much concern about the beef sector and hormones. Those hormones are prohibited in the EU. What we must do is not block the agreement, but ensure and guarantee that these products do not enter our market through reinforced controls.”
Des garanties et des droits de l'homme sans précédent
En réponse aux critiques des ONG concernant le respect des droits de l'homme dans les chaînes d'approvisionnement des pays tiers, le député européen défend l'accord du Mercosur comme un accord pionnier en matière de mécanismes de protection.
“I honestly believe that the concerns raised have led to the incorporation of safeguard mechanisms that other trade agreements do not have. I wish other agreements carried the same defense tools as Mercosur,” she states. Agirregoitia highlights that the agreement includes binding commitments to the Paris Climate Agreement and strict compliance with international labor and phytosanitary regulations, backed by a commitment to increase border controls by 50%.
The “Judicial Blockage” and Cultural Synergy
The agreement, which has been under negotiation for over 25 years, currently faces a new hurdle: the European Parliament’s decision to seek an opinion from the European Court of Justice to verify if the procedure complies with the treaties. Mrs. Agirregoitia views this move with skepticism, suggesting it may be a tactic to delay what she considers inevitable.
“We are constantly asking the European Commission for agility because the EU is slow compared to China or the US, and then we decide to prolong this by 12 or 18 months or even more through these procedures,” she points out.
Finally, she highlights a factor often overlooked: cultural affinity. She notes that for many European companies, like the ones from Basque Country, it is far more natural to cooperate with Brazil or Argentina than with other emerging powers like India, due to the lack of language barriers and the presence of the diaspora. “That cultural hook is a strategic advantage that we should not waste”.
ASSEDEL, basé à Strasbourg et engagé dans la promotion des droits de l'homme et des valeurs européennes, continue de suivre et d'éclairer les évolutions qui façonnent l'avenir de la démocratie européenne et des relations internationales.