After more than twenty-five years of negotiations, the Ambassadors of the European Union’s Member States today gave the political green light – also with Italy’s favourable vote – to the signing of the EU-MERCOSUR Agreement.
Italy supported the agreement after requesting and obtaining guarantees and strengthened safeguard clauses to protect certain sensitive agri-food supply chains.
The EU-MERCOSUR Agreement is the largest free trade agreement ever negotiated by the European Union, leading to the creation of a free trade area for approximately 800 million people.
According to Foreign Minister Tajani, “the free trade agreement between EU countries with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay is a great opportunity for all our companies. It is an agreement destined to increase our exports, with the goal of reaching €700 billion in exports.”
The agreement provides for the elimination or significant reduction of tariffs on products and services that account for over 90% of EU exports, including sectors where Italy has strong offensive commercial interests, such as automotive, industrial machinery, chemicals and pharmaceutical products.
The main aspects of the agreement include:
- the elimination of high MERCOSUR tariffs, which will enable EU exporters to save over €4 billion in customs duties annually;
- facilitated customs procedures for European exports;
- exclusive preferential access to some critical raw materials and some green products;
- a ban on imitation of over 340 traditional EU food products recognized as geographical indications, 57 of which are Italian. This is the largest number of geographical indications ever protected under an EU agreement;
- compliance with European standards for products from MERCOSUR countries imported into the EU.
The agreement provides for the protection of the following 57 Italian Geographical Indications:
Aceto Balsamico di Modena
Aceto Balsamico tradizionale di Modena
Aprutino Pescarese
Asiago
Bresaola della Valtellina
Cantuccini Toscani / Cantucci Toscani
Culatello di Zibello
Fontina
Gorgonzola
Grana Padano
Mela Alto Adige; Südtiroler Apfel
Mortadella Bologna
Mozzarella di Bufala Campana
Pancetta Piacentina
Parmigiano Reggiano
Pasta di Gragnano
Pecorino Romano
Pomodoro S. Marzano dell’Agro Sarnese-Nocerino
Prosciutto di Parma
Prosciutto di San Daniele
Prosciutto Toscano
Provolone Valpadana
Salamini italiani alla cacciatora
Taleggio
Toscano
Zampone Modena
Asti
Barbaresco
Barbera d’Alba
Barbera d’Asti
Bardolino / Bardolino Superiore
Barolo
Brachetto d’Acqui / Acqui
Brunello di Montalcino
Campania
Chianti
Chianti Classico
Conegliano – Prosecco
Valdobbiadene – Prosecco
Dolcetto d’Alba
Emilia / dell’Emilia
Fiano di Avellino
Franciacorta
Greco di Tufo
Lambrusco di Sorbara
Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro
Marca Trevigiana
Marsala
Montepulciano d’Abruzo
Prosecco
Sicilia
Soave
Toscana / Toscano
Valpolicella
Veneto
Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Grappa
