The EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement will provisionally take effect starting in May.

The European Union confirmed in a statement on the 23rd that the free trade agreement between the EU and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) will provisionally take effect from May 1.

Maroš Šefčovič, the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, stated: "The current focus is to translate the EU-Mercosur agreement into concrete results, providing a platform for EU exporters to seize new opportunities in trade, growth, and employment."

The statement pointed out that the provisional implementation means that tariffs on certain products will be eliminated from day one, providing predictable rules for trade and investment. EU businesses, consumers, and farmers can benefit from the agreement, while sensitive sectors will also be protected through safeguard measures.

On January 17 this year, the EU and Mercosur formally signed the free trade agreement in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay, but the agreement must be ratified by the parliaments of each country to take full effect. Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay have already ratified the agreement. However, the agreement has caused divisions within Europe, with major agricultural countries like France leading opposition due to concerns about potential harm to their farmers' interests. On January 21, the European Parliament voted to refer the agreement for judicial review, and its legality still awaits a ruling from the EU Court of Justice.