EU-Mercosur interim trade agreement signed in Paraguay on 17 January 2026

The European Union and Mercosur have signed a Partnership Agreement (EMPA) and an Interim Trade Agreement (iTA),

The President of the European Council, António Costa, together with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, attended the EU-Mercosur signature ceremony in Asunción, Paraguay on 17 January 2026.

The EU and Mercosur are following their respective procedures to work towards the ratification of the Agreement.

The iTA will follow EU-only ratification process as it falls under EU exclusive competences. This will require the consent of the European Parliament and the adoption of a decision on the conclusion by the Council, after which it will enter into force.

The consent procedure in the European Parliament means that the Parliament as a whole votes to either accept or reject the Council Decision by an absolute majority. The Parliament cannot make amendments to the text.

An absolute majority in the Parliament is a majority of all members of the European Parliament (including those absent or not voting). In its present configuration with 751 MEPs, the threshold for an absolute majority is 376 votes.

If Parliament does not give its consent, the act cannot be finally adopted by the Council.

The date of the vote in Parliament has not yet been shared.

On the EU side, the EMPA will be subject to ratification by all Member States, following their national procedures.

The iTA will expire once the EMPA enters into force.

More information: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_113

Contact: Lebo Mofolo, lmofolo@frucom.eu