Mercosur: Italy towards OK, received guarantees on farmers and resources

Italy would be ready to support the free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay). According to rumours compiled by Bloomberg and confirmed by industry organisations, the Italian government has obtained the requested guarantees for the agricultural sector and on possible additional resources from the EU budget. Italy's green light would arrive in the EU ambassadors' vote scheduled for 9 January; the last obstacle to the treaty's signature, expected on 12 January, would thus be removed.

"This should be the schedule, I think it is only a matter of time. Our representatives here would like to take some more time, but stalling again at Coreper on the 9th I see it as complicated. As far as I know a definitive indication from Rome should arrive on 7 January. Today I would give it 75 per cent,' an industry source tells Radiocor.

Italy, a month ago, together with France, had led the postponement front, calling for more protection for European farmers. The EU-Mercosur partnership agreement, explains the EU Commission itself, in the document published online, would involve more than 720 million consumers between the EU and South American countries, and thanks to the elimination of high Mercosur tariffs, would save EU exporters more than EUR 4 billion per year.

EU agriculture ministers will meet in Brussels on Wednesday for a special session devoted to the trade agreement with Mercosur countries and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). This was announced by the European Commission. According to diplomatic sources quoted by Afp, the meeting would also serve to prepare the ground for the member states' vote scheduled for Friday on the free trade agreement.