March finds the EU-MERCOSUR agreement fully underway in its internal ratification process by the South American states of the bloc. This procedure constitutes the stage by which each country formally confirms its consent to be bound by the international treaty, an essential legal step for its future entry into force and effective implementation.
In this context, the Brazilian Senate Agency It was reported on Tuesday (March 17, 2026) that Congress enacted Legislative Decree 14/2026 (PDL 41/26), ratifying the Interim Trade Agreement with the European Union.
During the ceremony, the President of the Senate and Congress, Senator Davi Alcolumbre, emphasized that the agreement represents "an instrument of true international stability."
For his part, Vice President and Minister of Development, Industry, Trade and Services, Geraldo Alckmin, who was present at the session, noted that the agreement connects blocs that bring together more than 700 million people and announced a joint work plan with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to support its implementation.
The ratification confirms Brazil's strong political and institutional support for the bi-regional integration process; only promulgation remains for it to come into effect.
As he explained Dr. Alejandro PerottiThe lawyer, with a Master's degree in European Community Law and a Doctorate in Law, and a member of the firm 'Alais & Torres Brizuela – Abogados', said, "The project now goes to the Executive Branch so that the President can issue the promulgation decree, in accordance with constitutional practice. Following this, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will inform the depositaries of the agreement—the Secretariat of the Council of the EU and the Republic of Paraguay—that the necessary internal steps for its provisional application and entry into force have been completed."
In parallel, it should be reported that the Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay The Senate announced the approval of the draft law for the interim trade agreement between MERCOSUR and the European Union, thus completing the parliamentary process initiated with the Senate's approval on March 4.
The text was sent to the Executive Branch for promulgation by President Santiago Peña, a necessary step for it to come into effect in the country.
Parliamentary authorities emphasized that the agreement will expand export opportunities, attract investment, and strengthen Paraguay's international integration. Furthermore, it includes specific benefits such as zero-tariff export quotas, special rules of origin, and extended adaptation periods for sanitary and phytosanitary standards.
Taken together, these legislative advances contribute to the regional ratification of the EU-MERCOSUR agreement. After nearly 25 years of negotiations, the treaty was signed on January 17, 2026, in Asunción and quickly ratified by Argentina and Uruguay in February during extraordinary sessions. In March, Brazil and Paraguay approved the agreement in their respective legislatures, and it now awaits promulgation by the Executive Branches for it to enter into force.
In this way, South American countries are moving towards the implementation of the agreement, which reflects a development model based on standards and institutional modernization, supported by clear rules, common norms and the strengthening of multilateralism.
Status of ratification in MERCOSUR countries (March 2026)
| Country | Key date | Legislative action | Eastcurrent version |
| Argentina | 26/02/2026 | Law 27.800 and Decree 111/2026 | Internal ratification completed and promulgated (***) |
| Uruguay | 26/02/2026 | Law No. 20.462/2026 enacted by the Executive Branch | Internal ratification completed and promulgated (****) |
| Brazil | 17/03/2026 | Legislative Decree 14/2026 (PDL 41/26). | Pending promulgation by the Executive Branch (*) |
| Paraguay | March 2026 | Senate approval and Chamber of Deputies sanction | Pending promulgation by the Executive Branch (**) |
(*) https://www12.senado.leg.br/noticias/materias/2026/03/17/congresso-promulga-acordo-mercosul-uniao-europeia
(**) https://www.diputados.gov.py/noticias/noticias/1619
(***) https://aduananews.com/ratificacion-interna-concluida-argentina-promulgo-el-acuerdo-interino-mercosur-ue/
(****) https://www.gub.uy/presidencia/comunicacion/noticias/uruguay-aprobo-acuerdo-interino-comercio-entre-mercosur-union-europea
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