EU‑Mercosur Deal Starts May 1, But Only Partly

The European Union and the South American group Mercosur have agreed that their trade pact will begin to work on a provisional basis from May 1. This means the main parts of the agreement will be active for EU countries and those Mercosur members who have finished their approval steps by the end of March. Three Mercosur nations – Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay – have already completed this process.Paraguay has recently finished its ratification and will send the final confirmation soon. The deal was controversial in Europe, but the Commission decided to move forward with a temporary application. This step allows businesses on both sides to start trading under the new rules while some countries still wait for their formal approval. The provisional start is a way to keep momentum and encourage further cooperation among the partners.