Latest news and stories about trade agreement in government in Portugal for expats and residents.
Sectors such as olive oil, wine and fruit expect significant benefits, but small and medium-sized producers of cereals, meat and honey will face direct and disproportionate competition.
The slow march was organised by the Association of Producers of the Municipality of Serpa. The president of APROSERPA said it was important to take to the streets to show their displeasure with the EU–Mercosur agreement.
Ratification of this trade agreement was suspended by the European Parliament in response to threats from Trump.
The livestock producers' representative spoke out against the trade agreement and expressed concern about issues such as avian influenza, African swine fever and bluetongue.
The 'free-trade market among democracies' was defended as one of the advantages of the partnership. In opposition, Chega and the PCP questioned safeguard measures and unequal production costs.
This agreement — dubbed 'the mother of all agreements' — is expected to double the EU's exports to India by 2032 and save around €4 billion a year in duties. It can and should form part of a broader European Union strategy in the Trump-centred era.
Rui da Rocha Ferreira, Online coordinator at Negócios, explains the agreement reached with India that will allow European companies to export more cheaply and more easily.
After almost two decades of negotiations, India and the European Union announced on Tuesday that they had reached a free trade agreement.
A concise overview of the new EU–India deal: the main policy and trade changes it introduces (tariff and regulatory cooperation, investment and services, mobility and digital links), why it is considered historic in terms of scale and geopolitical significance, and the likely gains for Portugal — including export opportunities, increased investment, stronger political and strategic ties, and closer cooperation on technology and green energy.
The deal would create a barrier-free market for 2 billion consumers between Europe and India. Also in this bulletin, António José Seguro and André Ventura will later take part in the only debate of this second round.
A formal announcement is expected to take place this Tuesday, according to the Indian Commerce Secretary.
The presidential candidate visited a cheesemaker in Évora and warned of the risk of bankruptcy for the primary and dairy sectors. On Wednesday, the European Parliament referred the agreement to the European court.
After on-off talks since 2007, the two sides finally take the plunge, responding to steep U.S. tariffs and cheap goods from China.
Ventura says he will do everything to have the EU-Mercosur trade agreement suspended and to stop it coming into effect.
The leader of Chega said presidential candidates “should take a stance” on the issue and challenged his rival, António José Seguro, to do so.
Von der Leyen and António Costa begin an official visit to India this Sunday, where India and the European Union are expected to sign a trade agreement. Four questions and answers to explain what is at stake.
One of the highlights of António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen's agenda will be their attendance on Monday, at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the celebrations of India's 77th Republic Day. A free trade agreement between the two blocs is expected to be signed at the meeting.
Today, parliaments and governments of Mercosur countries pledged to ratify the trade agreement with the European Union (EU) swiftly, aiming to pressure Brussels to approve its provisional entry into force.
The Brazilian government has said it intends to accelerate the ratification process for the Mercosur agreement.
The motion of censure is almost certain to be rejected, since practically all European political groups, with the exception of Patriots for Europe and the Reformists and Conservatives, will vote against it.
Portugal faces a mixed outcome from the EU–Mercosur trade agreement. Export-oriented sectors such as wine, olive oil and cheese see expanded market access to Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay as growth opportunities, while domestic meat and rice producers fear increased competition, downward price pressure and quota-driven market disruption. The deal thus creates winners and losers within Portugal’s agricultural and food industries, highlighting the need for safeguards, support measures and sectoral adaptation strategies.
Update: The trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur is due to be signed this Saturday. The impending signature has intensified debate in Portugal: wine, olive oil and cheese sectors are positioning to capture growth in the four South American markets, while meat and rice producers renew warnings about heightened competition, downward price pressure and quota effects. Stakeholders are pressing for concrete safeguards, transitional support and clear implementation timetables to mitigate adjustment costs and protect sensitive domestic producers.
António Costa says this is a historic agreement between the European Union and Mercosur and rejected criticism that it favours Europe. According to the President of the European Council, it is a trade agreement but also one on investment.
The European Commission confirmed that President Ursula von der Leyen will sign the EU–Mercosur free trade agreement on Saturday 17 January, after the EU approved advancement of the deal despite objections from France, Hungary and Poland. Supporters argue the pact will boost exports and deepen ties with South America, while farmers and some domestic political actors warn of negative impacts on agriculture and standards. The move has been framed by some commentators as a rare act of multilateral diplomacy amid broader geopolitical tensions.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to New Delhi at the end of January for the EU–India summit with the explicit aim of finalising a long‑sought EU–India trade agreement. Having concluded the Mercosur talks, von der Leyen says the Commission is working intensively to wrap up negotiations, a move with significant economic and geopolitical implications for EU trade policy and relations with India.
