While the US-EU framework agreement has been announced, key players in Europe are signaling that they do not see it as the final word, but rather as an opening salvo in a longer negotiation. France is leading this charge, with its trade minister publicly vowing that “the story isn’t over” for its aggrieved wine and spirits sector.
This statement is a clear refusal to accept the current terms as a finished product. By highlighting the possibility of “additional exemptions,” the French government is attempting to reopen a file that Brussels and Washington may consider closed. It’s a bold move to challenge the finality of the deal and keep the pressure on for further concessions.
This stance transforms the nature of the agreement. Instead of a stable, long-term framework, it may become a constantly contested document, with different industries and countries lobbying to amend it to their benefit. This could lead to a state of perpetual negotiation, undermining the very certainty the deal was supposed to provide.
The key question is whether this is just political posturing for a domestic audience or a genuine strategic intent. If France, a core EU member, actively works to alter the deal, it could unravel the fragile consensus that holds it together. The story may indeed not be over, but the next chapter could be one of internal EU conflict rather than transatlantic cooperation.