France calls for safeguard clause in Mercosur trade deal talks
08/04/2025
The proposed clause would allow the EU to restrict imports such as beef if a sudden surge threatens to destabilise local markets. French officials argue that the deal’s existing safeguard mechanism is too difficult to activate and would be ineffective in a crisis. The initiative received support from countries including the Netherlands, Austria, Ireland, Poland and Hungary.
The Mercosur agreement, involving Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, has been two decades in the making and remains controversial within the EU, particularly among farmers concerned about competition from countries with weaker environmental standards.
Officials stressed that the meeting was a separate issue from the recent US decision to raise tariffs on EU goods.
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