The member states of the European Union are decisive stage No matter what obstacles and setbacks can be overcome in finalizing the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, there are other areas of danger.
Three key votes in the European Parliament could derail or significantly change the South American nation’s deal with the trade bloc. The agreement, which was more than 20 years in the making and concluded a year ago, still needs the green light from both EU countries and EU lawmakers to enter into force.
The first parliamentary vote is scheduled for the December plenary session. It concerns bilateral safeguard provisions for agricultural products that will be added to the agreement.
In October the committee proposed A number of safeguards to increase protection for EU farmers who may be affected by cheap South American products entering the European market. The proposed “reciprocity clause” would allow for the temporary withdrawal of preferential tariffs granted to products from Mercosur countries to offset these worst effects.
According to a version of the article approved by parliament’s International Trade Committee (INTA), safeguards should also include “the introduction of reciprocity obligations regarding product and production standards”, meaning South American farmers exporting to the EU must respect the same obligations as European farmers.
“Respecting reciprocity helps to ensure that our farmers do not face environmental, sanitary and animal welfare dumping. Market safeguard clauses should be triggered every time a product does not meet standards,” Belgian MP Benoît Cassard, one of the clause’s proponents, told Euronews.
“This means that in order for Mercosur countries to access our markets, they will need to establish supply chains that comply with the standards in force in the EU,” he said.
tension with farmers
The request, along with the entire safeguards package, will be voted on in the Strasbourg parliament on Tuesday, December 16th.
If approved, the safeguards would need to be agreed with EU member states. A special procedure could speed up negotiations and allow Ursula von der Leyen to fly to Brazil to sign the deal before the end of the year.
However, this measure is highly controversial. This would involve significant changes to the terms of the agreement, but the South American parties may continue to object, and the practical feasibility of the agreement is hotly debated.
“Contrary to the safeguards[proposed by the European Commission]it is not possible under WTO law and technically unfeasible,” a parliamentary source told Euronews.
Since the INTA committee’s decision to include the reciprocity clause was passed by just one vote, it is still possible that an amendment from one or more political groups in Congress would call for the removal of the reciprocity clause.
The European People’s Party, the Socialists and Democrats, and the majority of the Renew Europe group all voted against it in the committee, meaning half of parliament is against it.
Another parliamentary source said the vote would certainly be close, but that while the reciprocity clause could still be passed, lawmakers knew it would not be acceptable to the EU member states represented by the council. And in fact, that may be exactly why it passes.
“This is a very complex topic for legislators who represent rural areas,” the official said, adding that they were aware that vetoing the bill “would be seen as a provocation by farmers.”
“They could be targeted in their constituencies, so some people may vote yes knowing that it could be repealed later during negotiations with the council.”
EU ministers gathered in Brussels will be paying close attention to the outcome of the vote.
“If regulations on the use of pesticides and antibiotics are imposed on producers to protect the environment and workers’ rights, we cannot allow products that completely violate these standards to enter the market,” Italy’s Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida said in Brussels on Friday.
Italy’s position on the deal has not yet been made clear by the government, but important. Euronews understands that Belgium is expected to abstain in the final vote, meaning Italy’s support will be needed to reach the majority needed for approval.
It’s not the end of the road
Even if a deal is ultimately approved in time for von der Leyen and Costa’s transatlantic trip, the EU-Mercosur deal will likely remain in limbo for some time yet.
The document signed by the EU and Mercosur leaders is actually an “interim agreement” and must be approved by the European Parliament. The process could be stalled by two more parliamentary votes, both of which are expected to take place in the first months of 2026.
First, Parliament will consider a challenge to the agreement in the EU Court of Justice. request It was signed by 145 members of left-wing political groups. They argue that the European Commission broke rules by splitting the agreement into two parts, and that the move was widely seen as a tactic to avoid approval by member states’ parliaments.
“We will seek a legal opinion from the ECJ on the compatibility of this agreement with the EU treaties,” Green Party/EFA MP Saskia Bricmont, one of the proponents of the challenge, told Euronews.
Euronews sources said the vote is expected to take place in February or March, but the largest group in parliament is expected to vote against it.
But the vote on final ratification of the agreement will likely be even more closely contested. Last October, 269 MPs were rejected A passage praising the conclusion of the Mercosur agreement inserted in a non-legislative resolution. 259 people voted in favor.
A majority of parliamentarians must participate in order for the agreement to be approved. But many members of Congress may end up breaking ranks with political groups and instead vote in accordance with their governments’ positions, according to several parliamentary sources.
