The European Commission wants to finalise the legal text for the trade agreement between the EU and Mexico, reached on 21 April, before the end of this year. The Commission will then proceed with the legal verification and translation of the agreement into all the official languages of the EU and will then submit it for the approval of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.
With the agreement reached in April, the Commission reported that all trade between the EU and Mexico, including that of agricultural goods, will be exempt from customs duties. According to the Commission, EU agricultural exports such as poultry meat, cheese, chocolate, food paste and pork meat "will probably benefit the most."
As for the fruit and vegetable sector, Spanish exports up to May 2018 have been minimal, with just 10 tonnes worth 74,478 Euro. In the same period of 2017, exports reached 11 tonnes worth 72,937 Euro, according to data from the Department of Customs and Special Taxes. Meanwhile, imports in the same period grew by 28%, totalling 16,132 tonnes worth 27.1 million Euro (+48%).
The negotiations for trade between the European Commission and non-EU countries could be an opportunity to diversify fresh fruit and vegetable exports, which is one of sector's objectives, according to FEPEX.
Source: fepex.es
