The trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur countries is currently in the ratification process. At the centre of this process is a decisive vote in the European Parliament tomorrow, Tuesday, February 10, on the bilateral safeguard clauses for agricultural products negotiated between the Council and Parliament. These clauses aim to ensure that effective protective mechanisms will be applied to EU agriculture in the case of significant increases in imports from Mercosur countries and represent a key step towards the further implementation of the agreement.
DIHK Foreign Trade Chief Volker Treier commented:
09.02.2026 - “The trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur is of significant economic and geostrategic importance for the German economy. All EU institutions should work towards the swift implementation of the agreement, so that our businesses can benefit from new market opportunities and secure and diversify their supply chains in Latin America, especially considering raw materials and energy.
Given the current economic weakness, such an agreement is more important than ever for German and European companies. Our competitors from the USA and particularly from China are not hesitating to access and develop Latin American markets. They are taking decisive action on the ground while we remain stuck in decades-long loops of discussion.
For Europe, this is now also a fundamental question of trade credibility and reliability. Especially now, we need more stable trade partnerships worldwide. Therefore, other trade negotiations with countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines should also be concluded, and agreements with Mexico, Indonesia, and India should be ratified swiftly.”
- Relevant in topic:
- Internationaler Handel
- Key areas:
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- Außenwirtschaft
Released 09.02.2026
Modified 16.02.2026
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Julia Fellinger
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