The European Commission announced that the trade agreement between the European Union and MERCOSUR will begin to be applied provisionally from May 1, as reported by the Commission on Monday (March 23, 2026) in a official announcement.
The mechanism will allow the trade chapter of the agreement to be implemented while the institutional process necessary for its full ratification within the European Union continues. During this period—estimated at two to three years—a Provisional Trade Agreement (Interim Trade Agreement, ITA), which enables the early implementation of trade provisions until their final entry into force.
According to European Commissioner for Trade, Maroš Šefčovič, The goal is to quickly move the agreement to the operational level. “The priority now is to turn this EU-MERCOSUR agreement into concrete results, giving European exporters the platform they need to take advantage of new opportunities for trade, growth and employment“,” he stated, adding that the provisional application will allow those benefits to begin to materialize.
Similarly, the European Commission indicated that the provisional application will guarantee the elimination of tariffs on certain products from day one, establishing predictable rules for trade and investment.This will contribute to creating more resilient and reliable supply chains, especially to ensure the predictable flow of critical raw materials.”the European Commission stated.
The agreement liberalizes trade flows between the European Union and the MERCOSUR countries, creating a free trade zone that covers more than 700 million people.
The pending step for MERCOSUR
The Provisional Trade Agreement will therefore be applied provisionally from May 1st between the European Union and those MERCOSUR countries that have completed their internal ratification procedures and formally notified the European bloc before the end of March. Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay have already met this requirement, while Paraguay recently ratified the instrument and is expected to formalize its notification in the coming days.
As the final procedural step to enable the provisional application of the EU-Mercosur agreement, the European Commission sent a “note verbale” to Paraguay, thus completing the diplomatic communication necessary to move towards its implementation.
It should be noted that the full entry into force of the trade agreement will depend on the completion of the ratification process within the European Union, which includes approval by the European Parliament and the member states. In this context, the European Parliament decided to consult the Court of Justice of the European Union to assess the agreement's compatibility with EU treaties, and its opinion could influence the final stages of the process.
Referring to this stage, the European Commissioner for Trade, Maroš Šefčovič, noted that the provisional application will allow the commitments made to begin to materialize.The provisional application will allow us to begin fulfilling that promise. I hope this agreement reaches its full potential, strengthening our economy and reinforcing our position in global trade as we complete the democratic processes."He concluded.
Aduana News is the first Argentine customs newspaper to launch its digital version. With 20 years of experience, its publications and initiatives aim to provide the most relevant knowledge on customs issues in order to contribute to safe trade in the region.
