Argentina ratifies EU-Mercosur agreement after approval in the Senate

Deputies are seen after the vote that approved the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur in the Argentine Congress, on February 26, 2026. Juan Mabromata/AFP Argentina ratified this Thursday (26) the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, after approval of the text by the Senate. The country is the second, after Uruguay, to complete the process. The treaty creates the largest free trade zone in the world, involving the 27 countries of the European Union and the founding members of Mercosur: Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay. 📱Download the g1 app to see news in real time and for free With 69 votes in favor, 3 against and no abstentions, the Senate completed the parliamentary ratification of the treaty, signed on January 17, in Asunción. The treaty will eliminate tariffs on more than 90% of trade between the two blocs, which together account for around 30% of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and have more than 700 million consumers. See the videos trending on g1: See the videos trending on g1 Brazil and Paraguay have already started the necessary procedures for their parliaments to ratify the treaty in the coming days. While the treaty progresses through formal procedures in Mercosur countries, the European Parliament suspended ratification itself indefinitely on January 21st. At the time, MEPs sent the text to the Court of Justice of the European Union to assess its legality. The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union chaired by Ursula von der Leyen, may decide to implement the treaty on a provisional basis. So far, however, he has not made a decision. The process in the European Parliament faces strong resistance and protests from the agricultural sector, which fears the impact of a massive entry of South American meat, rice, honey and soy into the European market, in exchange for increased exports of vehicles, machinery, cheese and wine from the bloc to Mercosur. The European Commission has adopted a series of safeguards to protect sectors considered sensitive.

Source link