European Union: Council of European Union adopted decision authorising signing and provisional application of EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement and interim Trade Agreement

On 9 January 2026, the Council of the European Union adopted a decision authorising the signing and provisional application of the Partnership Agreement and Interim Agreement on Trade between the European Union and MERCOSUR, covering trade and investment liberalisation with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The decision affects EU–MERCOSUR trade, with particular relevance for agricultural producers and importers, especially in sectors subject to EU tariff-rate quotas. It empowers the European Commission to provisionally apply the agreement and to closely monitor imports of sensitive agricultural products, report regularly to the European Parliament and the Council, and adopt bilateral safeguard measures where increased imports or price declines cause or threaten serious injury to the Union industry, including in specific Member States. Such measures may include suspending tariff reductions or restoring duties and may apply for up to two years, extendable by a further two years. The agreement will apply provisionally from the first day of the second month after participating MERCOSUR states notify completion of their internal procedures, with the start date published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The European Parliament must give its approval before the Council can conclude the agreements. The final implementation of the full Partnership Agreement will also require ratification by EU Member States.