<h1>Italy backs EU-Mercosur free trade deal, featuring farm safeguards and food-safety rules, awaiting European Parliament vote</h1> Italy confirmed support for the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement with Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay, strengthening the political majority needed for signature and subsequent approval. The agreement is described as including protections for EU farmers, particularly regarding production standards, with an 'emergency brake' safeguard permitting import restraints where imports are found to undercut EU prices by 5% or more; this would operate as a defensive trade measure to limit market disruption. It also provides for mirroring of EU food safety regulations in the Mercosur bloc and increased inspections of agrifood imports at EU ports and beyond; this would tighten regulatory compliance conditions for covered imports. The agreement would enter into force only after a European Parliament vote, and would create a large free trade zone expanding preferential market access and trade flows.