On Tuesday, the European Parliament adopted additional protective measures for the EU’s agricultural sector, aimed at preventing possible harm from the trade agreement with the Mercosur countries. The regulation, which had already been informally aligned with EU member states, passed with 483 votes in favour, 102 against, and 67 abstentions.
The new rules define the conditions under which the EU may suspend the tariff preferences granted to agricultural imports from Mercosur under the trade agreement. This suspension would apply if a sharp rise in these imports threatens EU producers. An investigation into the necessity of protection is triggered when imports of sensitive agricultural products rise by more than five percent on a three‑year average, and when import prices fall more than five percent below the corresponding domestic price.
Gabriel Mato, the EU Parliament’s rapporteur on Mercosur, said that the protective clauses provide a “balanced and credible defence mechanism” for the EU’s farming sector. He added that they strengthen market surveillance, introduce clear and objective criteria for detecting market distortions, and allow quicker action on sensitive products when signs of damage appear.