<h1>EU-Mercosur trade deal gains Italy's support, enabling signature with farmer safeguards, food safety alignment, and an import emergency brake</h1> Italy backed the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement contingent on protections for domestic agriculture, including an emergency import brake if imports undercut EU prices by 5% or more, mirroring of EU food safety regulations in Mercosur, and increased inspections of agrifood imports; the political accord clears the way for signature and requires European Parliament ratification, while critics cite limited GDP benefits and environmental risks.