Italy’s foreign minister hailed the “enormous benefits” Wednesday of an EU trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur, as Brussels seeks to get the accord that Rome had previously stalled over the line.
Antonio Tajani welcomed new European Union measures to support farmers as EU agriculture ministers held crunch talks ahead of a vote on the agreement expected later this week.
“Italy has never changed its position,” Tajani said in a statement.
“We have always supported the conclusion of the deal, emphasising the need to take due account of the legitimate concerns of the agricultural sector, so that markets are opened with adequate safeguards for the benefit of the most exposed production sectors.”
“The EU-Mercosur agreement offers enormous benefits and potential,” he added.
Read moreFrance tightens food import checks as farmers protest Mercosur deal
The accord, more than 25 years in the making, would create the world’s largest free-trade area, boosting trade between the 27-nation EU and the Mercosur bloc comprising Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay.
But many European farmers fear they will be undercut by a flow of cheaper goods from agricultural giant Brazil and its neighbours.
Plans to seal the accord in December ran into a late roadblock as EU heavyweights Italy and France demanded a postponement.
The EU on Tuesday offered a carrot to farmers, saying it plans to tweak its budget proposal for 2028-2034 to allow them early access to around €45 billion.
As agriculture ministers met in Brussels on Wednesday, further concessions were made to tackle concerns over high fertiliser costs raised by Italy and France.
The commission said it would propose lowering tariffs on ammonia and urea imports and allow for a retroactive suspension of the bloc’s carbon border tax on fertilisers from January 1.
“Keeping fertilisers affordable is vital for farmers’ incomes,” EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic told a press conference.
A spokeswoman for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who had in December said it was “premature” to sign the Mercosur deal, declined to comment on Wednesday on whether Rome would now approve it.
Member states are expected to vote to give the text the final go-ahead on Friday.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)