MNI BRIEF: EU Says Farmers Protected In Mercosur Deal

The EU's proposed trade deal with Mercosur provides "belt and braces" protection for the bloc's farmers, officials said Wednesday, as the Commission sent the text of its proposed agreement to national capitals and the European Parliament, as they aim to have the deal signed off by by the end of this year. 

Highlighting the safeguards arrangement around the EU's agricultural sector, officials noted that the agreement only allowed for 99,000 tonnes of Mercosur beef or 1.5% of the latter's production - a particularly sensitive product - which would be imported at a reduced tariff of 7.5%. 

EU officials said that a real-time market monitoring system would be put in place to keep states and EU Parliament updated on market and price developments. While the deal is expected to win a qualified majority when EU states vote on the deal, there are still objections from some countries, most notably France but also Poland.