The European Parliament today approved a package of enhanced safeguard measures aimed at protecting European farmers in the context of the free trade agreement between the European Union and the MERCOSUR bloc, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
The measures include tighter monitoring mechanisms for products classified as sensitive, such as beef, poultry and sugar, with the possibility of reimposing customs duties in the event of disruption to the European market.
Members of the European Parliament adopted stricter criteria than those proposed by EU member states, calling on the European Commission to intervene if the price of an imported product from Mercosur countries is at least five percent lower than its price within the European Union, and if the increase in the volume of duty-free imports exceeds five percent. The initial proposal had set these thresholds at ten percent.
The European Parliament and EU member states must now seek to reach a joint compromise on this aspect of the safeguard measures.
Amid growing agricultural mobilisation, France has called for postponing the process until 2026, while Germany has urged swift signing, as European agricultural unions continue to oppose the agreement.
The agreement aims to facilitate European Union exports of cars and machinery, in return for wider access to the European market for South American products such as meat, sugar, rice, honey and soybeans, raising widespread concerns within European agricultural sectors.
Source: Emirates New Agency
