On 8 December, the European Parliament authorized trade safeguards to protect EU farmers from cheap Mercosur imports, a move largely thanks to pressure from Polish representatives.
Vote on Mercosur Safeguards
On 8 December, the International Trade Committee in the European Parliament approved a package of safeguards aimed at better protecting EU farmers, including Poles, against the influx of inexpensive food from Mercosur members—Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Polish Pressure Shifts Decision
The decision was credited largely to lobbying by Polish MEPs, led by PSL’s Krzysztof Hetman, who highlighted the need to tighten the safeguards and impose tariffs more swiftly if imports rise by five percent instead of the ten percent the Commission had proposed.
Expanded Product List and Monitoring
The amendment added eggs to the list of sensitive products that trigger safeguards, and it required the Commission to monitor the market quarterly rather than semi‑annually to enforce high EU standards among Mercosur producers.
Opposition to Urgent Procedure
MP Dariusz Joński of the Civic Coalition praised the opposition that stopped the Commission’s urgent procedure without amendments, asserting that normal debate allowed Poland to secure key protections for its farmers.
Future Amendments and Debates
Polish MEPs, including Waldemar Buda from the ruling party, plan to submit further amendments in the next Strasbourg session, while Brussels correspondents report that members have already pushed a referral to the European Court of Justice and called the deal a scandal, strengthening the safeguards.
