Bulgaria says the EU-Mercosur trade deal will not hurt its economy

Bulgaria’s outgoing Agriculture Minister Georgi Tahov said on Friday that the European Union’s trade agreement with the South American bloc Mercosur would not have a negative impact on the Bulgarian economy, citing minimal trade volumes between the two sides.

“Our exports to Mercosur countries are almost insignificant, as are imports, with a trade balance of less than 1%,” Tahov told Bulgarian National Radio during a visit to Berlin, adding that the European Commission has mechanisms to compensate farmers if needed.

Tahov’s comments come as the EU prepares to formally sign the EU–Mercosur Partnership Agreement, a long-delayed deal that would create one of the world’s largest free-trade areas, covering the EU and Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and eventually Bolivia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to travel to Paraguay this weekend for the signing.

The agreement has sparked protests by thousands of farmers across the European Union, particularly in countries with large agricultural sectors, amid concerns that increased imports of lower-cost South American products — including beef, poultry and sugar — could undercut European producers by depressing prices within the EU’s single market.

• Fruit and Vegetable Branch Chamber: Mercosur deal is a blow to EU agriculture
• Bulgarian grain producers to protest against the EU-Mercosur agreement

While Bulgaria’s direct trade exposure to Mercosur is limited, critics of the deal argue that its impact could be felt indirectly, as increased competition affects EU-wide pricing and supply chains rather than bilateral trade alone.

Tahov made the remarks while attending the opening of Grüne Woche (Green Week), the annual international food and agriculture exhibition in Berlin, which brings together ministers and producers from around 70 countries. Bulgaria is participating in the fair with a national stand featuring 15 agricultural producers.

• Bulgaria with its own stand at the International Green Week in Berlin

Editor: Ivo Ivanov
Posted and edited in English by E. Radkova