Polish MEP Tobiasz Bocheński (ECR) has asked the European Commission to clarify whether the EU-Mercosur trade agreement will immediately liberalise a significant portion of beef imports, contrary to earlier communications about gradual phasing, and to explain the legal basis for transferring to Mercosur countries the power to designate entities authorised to export to the EU. The questions, submitted on 4 June 2026, target two concrete concerns: the so-called 'Hilton quota' for duty-free beef imports, which Bocheński says may come into force immediately upon the trade part's entry into force rather than being phased in, and the mechanism granting Mercosur exporters market access, which he argues raises questions about the scope of powers delegated to third countries and the effectiveness of EU controls. The MEP's intervention reflects ongoing unease among some EU lawmakers and agricultural stakeholders about the potential impact of the agreement on the EU's beef sector, with fears of sudden market disruption. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks; its answer will signal whether the agreement's implementation timeline and control provisions align with the gradual liberalisation and robust oversight that the Commission has previously described.
Source📩 Open question ↗
Asked byTobiasz Bocheński (ECR)