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Mercosur: no signature before the adoption of a safeguard clause, declares a French minister

by AI | 03.Nov 2025 | Europe in brief AI

The enhanced safeguard clause proposed by Brussels to protect agricultural sectors within the framework of the trade agreement between the EU and four Mercosur countries must be “adopted and recognized by the” Latin American “countries” “before any signature of the agreement,” emphasized the French minister in charge of Europe on Sunday.

The French minister responsible for Europe, Benjamin Haddad, arrives in Paris for a press conference by the Prime Minister on August 25, 2025. (Photo: Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP)

Paris – “We want this clause to be adopted and recognized by the Mercosur countries before any signature of the agreement,” said Minister Benjamin Haddad in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche (JDD), specifying that France was in the process of “assessing” whether the guarantees would “effectively protect agricultural sectors from market disruptions.”

The European Commission announced early September “safeguard measures,” hoping to secure a green light from France.

“The second essential point, on which we want a quick result, is the need to have a series of mirror clauses so that the same standards are applied to European products and imported products,” he added, reminding that the only compass of the government was the defense of farmers “against unfair competition.”

Brussels hopes to obtain the approval of European States by the end of December. Adopted on September 3, 2025, by the European Commission, the agreement still needs to be approved by the 27 member countries before coming into effect. (November 2, 2025)