The European Commission has announced measures to support European agriculture, including additional funding for the sector, alignment of sanitary, phytosanitary and animal welfare standards for imported products, strengthened controls on these standards and specific safeguards complementing the EU-Mercosur agreement with a robust system of protections for our farmers. These safeguards, which will apply to all European agricultural products, constitute the most comprehensive system of protections ever included in an EU free trade agreement.
“Italy has never changed its position: we have consistently supported the conclusion of the agreement, while stressing the need to duly consider the legitimate concerns of the agricultural sector, so that market openings occur with adequate safeguards benefiting the most exposed production sectors,” stated Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani.
“The EU-Mercosur agreement,” Tajani continued, “offers significant benefits and opportunities. First, it establishes a free trade area covering almost 800 million people and represents a key element in the European Union’s broader network of trade agreements. This network strengthens the strategic autonomy and economic sovereignty of Italy and our continent, allowing the diversification of European export markets and ensuring secure supply chains for the strategic raw materials essential to our economies”.
