Brussels: Parliament's position was adopted by 431 in favour, 161 against and 70 abstentions. Negotiations with the Council on the final form of the legislation will take place tomorrow, 17 December.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the draft regulation sets out how the EU could temporarily suspend tariff preferences on the import of certain agricultural products considered sensitive, such as poultry or beef, from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay if these imports are seen to be harming EU producers. The Parliament has urged the Commission to initiate an investigation when imports of sensitive products increase by an average of 5% over a three-year period, a more stringent measure compared to the 10% per year proposed by the Commission.
Parliament also seeks faster investigations, reducing the general timeline from six to three months, and from four to two months in the case of sensitive products. This expedited process aims to introduce safeguards more swiftly.
Additionally, an amendment introducing a reciprocity mechanism was adopted. This mechanism requires the Commission to initiate investigations and adopt safeguard measures if there is credible evidence indicating that imports benefiting from tariff preferences do not meet the EU's standards on environmental, animal welfare, health, food safety, or labour protection.
Gabriel Mato, Parliament's standing rapporteur for Mercosur, expressed satisfaction with the broad support from political groups. He emphasized that the safeguards would enhance protection for EU farmers and create a more reliable framework for implementation. Mato committed to defending these improvements in upcoming negotiations.
Chair of the International Trade Committee, Bernd Lange, remarked that the consensus demonstrated the necessity of the additional safety net provided by the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. Lange highlighted the geopolitical and economic importance of approving the agreement in response to global dynamics involving China and the US.
The bilateral safeguard clauses are set to be integral to both the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement and the EU-Mercosur interim Trade Agreement. These agreements are pending ratification by the European Parliament following their anticipated signing later this month. The EU remains Mercosur's second-largest trading partner, with significant trade in goods and services.