Factsheet: EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement - Opening a wealth of opportunities for people in Italy

The EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement means that:

• Italian firms and small businesses will find it much easier to do business in Mercosur countries
• Italian companies can offer services more easily and more cheaply
• Italian producers (of industrial and food products) and farmers can export more
• Italian delicacies will sell more and at premium prices

Trade is important for the Italian economy

• 3.4 million Italian jobs are supported by Italian and EU exports to the world*
• That is 1 out of 7 jobs

Italy and Mercosur have a close trade relationship

• Total trade between Italy and Mercosur: €16.4 billion**

Lower to zero tariffs, more and cheaper exports

The agreement will eliminate tariffs on 91% of all products, benefitting virtually all Italian exports.

*Includes Italian jobs supported by exports to countries outside the EU and jobs linked to exports from other EU countries to the world

**Trade in goods (2024) and services (2023)  

New opportunities for Italian farmers

Currently, agri-food products, a sector where Italy is very competitive, represent only 5% of the EU’s total exports to Mercosur, due to the prohibitive tariffs and other restrictions currently in place in Mercosur countries.

As of now, Mercosur tariffs of up to 55% on EU agri-food products essentially close the market for EU products.

The EU-Mercosur deal will remove these tariffs, helping Italian farmers increase their exports to this region.  

Italian agri-food exports to Mercosur in numbers:

Protecting distinctive Italian food and drink products

The EU-Mercosur deal will protect 344 EU food and drink products from imitation in Mercosur countries. Such protection helps make these products more distinct. This will help to sell more Italian products and at more premium prices.

The selling price of products protected by a Geographical Indication is between 2 and 3 times higher than that of regular products.

The EU-Mercosur Agreement will protect 57 Italian Geographical Indications (GIs): 

• Aceto Balsamico di Modena (Vinegar)
• Aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena (Vinegar)
• Aprutino Pescarese (Olive oil)
• Asiago (Cheese)
• Bresaola della Valtellina (Meat products)
• Cantuccini Toscani / Cantucci Toscani (Biscuits)
• Culatello di Zibello (Meat products)
• Fontina (Cheese)
• Gorgonzola (Cheese)
• Grana Padano (Cheese)
• Mela Alto Adige; Südtiroler Apfel (Fruits)
• Mortadella Bologna (Meat products)
• Mozzarella di Bufala Campana (Cheese)
• Pancetta Piacentina (Meat products)
• Parmigiano Reggiano (Cheese)
• Pasta di Gragnano (Pasta)
• Pecorino Romano (Cheese)
• Pomodoro S. Marzano dell’Agro Sarnese-Nocerino (Vegetables)
• Prosciutto di Parma (Meat products)
• Prosciutto di San Daniele (Meat products)
• Prosciutto Toscano (Meat products)
• Provolone Valpadana (Cheese)
• Salamini italiani alla cacciatora (Meat products)
• Taleggio (Cheese)
• Toscano (Olive oil)
• Zampone Modena (Mat products)
• Asti (Wine)
• Barbaresco (Wine)
• Barbera d’Alba (Wine)
• Barbera d’Asti (Wine)
• Bardolino / Bardolino Superiore (Wine)
• Barolo (Wine)
• Brachetto d’Acqui / Acqui (Wine)
• Brunello di Montalcino (Wine)
• Campania (Wine)
• Chianti (Wine)
• Chianti Classico (Wine)
• Conegliano – Prosecco (Wine)
• Valdobbiadene – Prosecco (Wine)
• Dolcetto d’Alba (Wine)
• Emilia / dell’Emilia (Wine)
• Fiano di Avellino (Wine)
• Franciacorta (Wine)
• Greco di Tufo (Wine)
• Lambrusco di Sorbara (Wine)
• Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro (Wine)
• Marca Trevigiana (Wine)
• Marsala (Wine)
• Montepulciano d’Abruzo (Wine)
• Prosecco (Wine)
• Sicilia (Wine)
• Soave (Wine)
• Toscana / Toscano (Wine)
• Valpolicella (Wine)
• Veneto (Wine)
• Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Wine)
• Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Wine)
• Grappa (Spirit drinks)

Supporting Italian farmers in case of market disturbances

Important measures will be in place to protect the interests of Italian farmers:

A maximum limit (quota) will be put on the amount of agri-food products imported from Mercosur that benefit from lower tariffs:

• 99,000 tonnes for beef: this corresponds to 1.5 % of total EU production;
• 25,000 tonnes of pigmeat: 0.1% of total EU production, and;
• 180,000 tonnes for poultry: 1.3% of total EU production per year.

The deal includes a safeguard clause to protect EU farmers against any sudden increase in imports. 

This is the first time that such a measure is included in an EU trade agreement, even for products already subject to a quota.

In addition, the Commission stands ready to promptly and strongly assist farmers in the unlikely event of significant market disturbance linked to the agreement.   

High EU standards protecting EU citizens will in no way be compromised: all Mercosur products must comply with the EU’s strict food safety regulations. 

Strong sustainability commitments apply equally to producers on both sides.

Easier and cheaper ways to provide services in Mercosur

Italy and Mercosur export many services to each other.

Italian exports of services to Mercosur are worth €1.9 billion a year.

In 2023, the main exports of services consisted of: 

• Tourism: €1 billion
• Business: €255 million
• Transport: €233 million

The EU-Mercosur agreement will further open the Mercosur services market in sectors such as:

• Financial
• Postal & courier
• Telecommunications
• Transport
• Digital trade
• Environmental

Helping Italy’s small businesses export more to Mercosur

98% of all Italian exporters are small companies. These companies often find it difficult to export outside the EU, as it comes with extra costs and administrative procedures.

The EU-Mercosur deal will change that by offering more opportunities for small businesses. It will:

• Reduce costs by eliminating tariffs and by simplifying customs procedures
• Alleviate the administrative burden by making it easier to certify products for local sale
• Offer a better chance to bid for public contracts by improving access to information
• Provide extra help through dedicated Small Business Coordinators
• Open new possibilities through easily accessible online information about doing business in Mercosur countries