Mercosur: MEPs endorse rules to protect EU agriculture

Process in Brief

The European Parliament committee adopted a draft regulation establishing procedures to temporarily suspend tariff preferences on agricultural imports from Mercosur countries if those imports harm EU producers. The measure was adopted with 27 votes in favour, 8 against and 7 abstentions and includes an amendment on reciprocity obligations for Mercosur to apply EU production standards.

What Is at Stake

MEPs lowered the trigger for Commission investigations to a 5% increase in imports of sensitive products such as poultry or beef on a three-year average and shortened investigation durations from six to three months generally and from four to two months for sensitive products. The safeguards aim to strengthen protection for EU farmers within the wider context of the EU-Mercosur Partnership and interim Trade Agreement, which both contain bilateral safeguard clauses and still require Parliament approval. The EU is Mercosur's second-largest goods partner with €57 billion in exports in 2024 and accounts for a quarter of Mercosur services trade with €29 billion in 2023.

Timeline

Parliament’s plenary will adopt its negotiating mandate during the 15-18 December plenary session, after which interinstitutional negotiations with EU governments can start.