Citizens have expressed concern about the proposed EU-Mercosur Trade Deal and in particular its potential impact on agriculture and the environment. Many citizens have written to the President of the European Parliament on this subject since November 2023, calling on her to reject the treaty in its current form because they consider it poses significant risk to European agriculture, climate commitments, and global environmental stability.
We replied to citizens who took the time to write to the President:
EU negotiations
The European Commission is negotiating a Trade Agreement with the Mercosur countries on behalf of the European Union (EU).
Responding to a September 2024 parliamentary question, the Commission stated the agreement should take into account concerns raised by the EU agricultural sector. The Commission also wants a clear commitment from Mercosur to stop deforestation and make the Paris Agreement a key part of the trade deal.
European Parliament position
During a November 2024 visit to Paris to address a business forum, President Metsola spoke of the negotiations in an interview. She expressed the hope of finding a balanced solution that both protects the interests of EU farmers and unlocks new opportunities for EU businesses. She emphasised that no EU country should be left feeling isolated or abandoned.
In a 2020 resolution, Parliament recognised the importance of a stronger partnership with Latin America and the additional trade opportunities this would bring. Parliament stressed that the agreement must ensure fair competition and guarantee that European standards are upheld. Parliament wanted additional commitments on labour rights and environmental protection including the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement.
More recently, in a 2023 resolution Parliament reiterated that the agreement should only be ratified if it includes climate change and deforestation commitments.
The European Parliament delegation for Mercosur is closely following the discussions.
Next steps
Once the negotiations are over, the Council adopts the agreement. The European Parliament must either approve or reject the deal; it cannot amend it.
If the final agreement covers areas beyond trade, it would also have to be ratified by each individual EU country.
Background
Citizens often send messages to the President of the European Parliament expressing their views and/or requesting action. The Citizens’ Enquiries Unit (AskEP) within the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) replies to these messages, which may sometimes be identical as part of wider public campaigns.
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