Italy and France have warned they will not approve the long‑negotiated EU-Mercosur trade agreement, stalling hopes of finalising the deal this week. Their opposition centres on concerns from farmers and demands for tougher safeguards on agricultural imports, including stricter “mirror clauses” that require Mercosur products to meet EU standards on pesticides, chlorine use, and food safety.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had been expected to travel to Brazil to sign the accord, which was concluded in principle after more than two decades of negotiations. Supporters — including Germany, Spain, and several Nordic countries — argue the deal would boost EU exports, offset U.S. tariffs, and reduce reliance on China for critical minerals.
However, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron today revealed they are pushing for additional protections for farmers before any signature, a position also backed by Poland and Hungary. Both governments say the agreement cannot proceed without stronger reciprocity guarantees and clearer enforcement mechanisms.
EU institutions are now negotiating additional safeguard measures, but Latin American officials have grown frustrated, warning that the window for concluding the deal is closing as Mercosur pursues alternative agreements with Japan, India, and Canada.
Environmental groups have also raised alarms about a proposed “rebalancing mechanism” in the draft text, which could allow Mercosur countries to challenge the EU’s deforestation regulation (EUDR) if they believe it harms trade. Campaigners warn this clause could be used to weaken the regulation at a time when global forest loss — particularly in Brazil — continues to rise sharply.
In September, Wood Central revealed that Mercosur countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, are an important market for the EU timber trade, with Brazil, behind China, the United States, and the United Kingdom, the European Union’s most important market for wood imports.
