EU-Mercosur: Council greenlights safeguards for agricultural products
The Council today formally adopted the regulation that implements the bilateral safeguard clauses of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement and the EU-Mercosur Interim Trade Agreement for agricultural products. The regulation aims to strengthen protections for EU farmers by allowing safeguard measures to be swiftly applied in cases where imports from Mercosur partners threaten to cause serious injury to EU producers.
We committed to protecting our farmers; today, we delivered. EU farmers will be better shielded from sudden market shocks and import surges. With this regulation, we will have the ability to respond quickly and effectively to preserve our agricultural interests while fostering deeper trade ties with Mercosur.
The regulation builds on existing EU safeguard mechanisms but introduces faster procedures and simplified triggers for action. Notably, it establishes a 5% threshold over a three-year average for initiating an investigation for sensitive products. Such investigations will be concluded within four months, and provisional measures can be implemented within 21 days in urgent cases.
The Commission will also proactively monitor imports of sensitive agricultural products and issue regular reports on market developments.
Next steps
The adopted regulation will now be published in the official journal of the European Union and will enter into force on the 20th day following its publication. The regulation will apply to the Interim Trade Agreement and will also continue to apply once the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement is fully ratified.
Background
The bilateral safeguard clauses form part of both the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement and the EU-Mercosur interim Trade Agreement.
The safeguard regulation complements the broader agreements, which aim to deepen trade and political relations between the EU and Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) while ensuring robust protection for EU agricultural sectors that may be particularly exposed to import competition. The EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement and the interim Trade Agreement were signed by both parties in Asunción, Paraguay on 17 January 2026. Before the agreements can be formally concluded and enter into force, the European Parliament will have to give its consent.
