EU's Growing Scrutiny on Mercosur Trade Deal: A Path for Agricultural Reforms

EU lawmakers supported stricter import controls for agricultural products as part of the prospective EU-Mercosur trade deal. This move counters criticisms and follows France and Italy's bid to delay the agreement. The European Parliament seeks tighter safeguards and compliance with EU standards.

EU lawmakers have given their backing to implement stricter controls on agricultural imports from a potential trade agreement with the South American bloc, Mercosur. This decision could address long-standing criticisms regarding the deal's implications.

The vote occurred just a day after France and Italy made a strategic move to postpone any immediate approval of the deal. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was poised to visit Brazil to sign the agreement, contingent on EU backing. This historical trade accord with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay began over two decades ago.

The European Commission had aimed to ease opposition by proposing a mechanism to suspend preferential access for certain Mercosur agricultural products if import volumes or prices significantly changed. However, the European Parliament opted for a more stringent threshold, advocating for quicker investigations and ensuring compliance with EU standards, a stance strongly supported by France.

(With inputs from agencies.)