S&D MEP Marko Vešligaj has submitted a parliamentary question to the European Commission demanding clarity on how it will protect EU farmers from the EU-Mercosur interim Trade Agreement, set for provisional application from 1 May 2026. The question, filed on 8 April 2026, targets the Commission's plans to shield sensitive agricultural sectors, monitor impacts on small and medium-sized farms, and bridge financial support until the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget cycle begins in 2028.
Concrete asks and policy orientation
The question contains three specific demands. First, Vešligaj asks what additional measures beyond existing safeguard mechanisms will be deployed to mitigate risks for EU farmers. Second, he requests details on how the Commission will monitor and assess the effectiveness of those measures, particularly to ensure small and medium-sized farms are not disproportionately affected. Third, he highlights a gap in financial support: Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's 2023 State of the Union speech mentioned that around €45 billion in CAP funds for 2028–2034 could be mobilised by Member States to help farmers facing increased competition, but the provisional application starts on 1 May 2026, leaving a two-year gap. Vešligaj asks what financial resources or instruments the Commission plans to make available in the interim.
Expected follow-up
The Commission is required to respond within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal the level of priority it assigns to agricultural safeguards in the Mercosur deal and whether it intends to propose bridging financial support before the next CAP period. The reply will also indicate how the Commission interprets its own safeguard commitments and whether it considers existing mechanisms sufficient to protect EU farmers, especially smaller ones. This question reflects ongoing tensions between trade liberalisation and agricultural protectionism within the EU, with Vešligaj representing the S&D group's push for stronger farmer protections.
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