Overview

• Brussels outlined a standalone regulation that would sit above the EU–Mercosur treaty to protect EU agriculture from harmful import surges.
• Investigations would be triggered if Mercosur import prices undercut EU equivalents by 10%, if import volumes rise 10% year over year, or if import prices drop 10% versus the prior year.
• Probes must conclude within four months, with provisional measures possible within 21 days when requested by a member state with sufficient grounds.
• The Commission will send six‑monthly impact assessments to the European Parliament and member states and will intensify monitoring of sensitive products such as beef, poultry, rice, honey, eggs, garlic and sugar.
• Opposition from France and farmer protests persists as the Council prepares to consider the pact on October 23, while the Commission touts potential exporter tariff savings of over €4 billion a year and targets ratification by end‑2025.