Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told parliament it would be "premature" for the EU to sign the long‑planned trade pact with Mercosur without stronger reciprocity guarantees for agriculture. She said she was confident the necessary conditions could be met early next year. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had been due to travel to Brazil to sign the accord, reached a year ago after about 25 years of negotiations.
Meloni Says EU-Mercosur Trade Deal Would Be 'Premature' Without Stronger Agricultural Safeguards
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attends the Atreju gathering, hosted by her party, Brothers of Italy, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (not pictured), in Rome, Italy, December 12, 2025. REUTERS/Vincenzo Livieri
ROME, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told parliament on Wednesday that it would be "premature" for the European Union to sign a trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc of Latin American countries unless stronger guarantees are put in place for European agriculture.
Speaking on the eve of an EU summit, Meloni said the accord needed "adequate reciprocity guarantees for the agricultural sector" to protect farmers and ensure a level playing field. She added she was confident that the required conditions for a signature could be met early next year.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had been expected to travel to Brazil at the end of the week to sign the deal, which was agreed a year ago after roughly a quarter-century of negotiations with the bloc comprising Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Context: The EU-Mercosur agreement aims to liberalize trade between the two regions but has long been contentious in Europe because of concerns about agricultural competition, environmental standards and enforcement of commitments by Mercosur partners.
(Reporting by Angelo Amante and Alvise Armellini; editing by Crispian Balmer)
