The EU and Mercosur will provisionally apply their free trade agreement as of May 1

The European Commission announced Monday that the free trade agreement between the European Union (E.U.) and Mercosur will apply provisionally as of May 1, a step that seeks to boost trade relations between the two blocs despite the criticism it generates in certain sectors.

Mercosur, composed of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, has already completed the necessary ratification procedures in all its members, except Paraguay, which is expected to formalize its notification in the next few days. For its part, the 27-nation E.U. has decided to move forward with the provisional application of the agreement pending the resolution of the legal review requested by the European Parliament in January of this year.

What did the European Parliament ask for?

The European Parliament requested that the judiciary verify the legality of the agreement, amid concerns about its compatibility with environmental, labor and food safety standards. However, the European Commission has decided not to wait for the judicial resolution and to allow the provisional entry into force, a move that, according to Brussels, will benefit the competitiveness of European exports and foster economic cooperation with South America.

The agreement has generated controversy in Europe, especially in the French agricultural sector, which fears excessive openness to products such as meat and soybeans from Mercosur, and the lack of acceptance of certain safeguards. In contrast, countries such as Germany and Spain support the measure, considering that the trade integration with South America is a strategic opportunity to strengthen European foreign trade and diversify markets.