On Tuesday, October 10, the European Parliament took a significant step by approving measures aimed at protecting its agricultural producers from the trade agreement with Mercosur, a South American bloc including Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. This decision allows for the temporary suspension of tariff benefits for agricultural products from South America in situations where an increase in imports could harm European farmers.

These measures, which were initially approved by the European Commission at the end of 2025, will now proceed to the Council for further evaluation. If the Council endorses the measures, they will come into effect once the EU-Mercosur trade agreement is officially implemented. The trade pact was signed on January 17 of this year but still requires approval from both the European Parliament and the national congresses of the involved South American countries.

The approval process has already encountered a delay, as the Parliament sent the agreement to the European Court of Justice just four days after its signing. This legal review could potentially postpone the treaty's implementation for at least six months, highlighting the complexities and challenges associated with international trade agreements and their impact on local farming communities in Europe.